...or stream the episode on Amazon Instant Video.
Sharkwater
Sharkwater is a 2008 documentary produced by Rob Stewart about the many misconceptions people have about sharks and how these top predators are rapidly experiencing a decline in population -- often resulting in them becoming endangered species. The film spends a lot of time talking about the practice of finning, where sharks are harvested (often illegally) through long-line fishing, then their fins are cut off to be sold for shark fin soup or as a medicinal treatment. Many students will find their attitudes about sharks changed, and begin to feel a great deal of concern over the loss of these predators from their aquatic ecosystems.
Essential concepts:Shark finning, long-line fishing, poaching, overfishing, endangered species, food chains, plankton.
Answer Key: Available for purchase at the environmental science instructor resources subscription page.
