It’s undeniable that the 1975 hit movie “Jaws” evokes strong emotions. People either call it a classic or remember being unable to sleep for a week after seeing it. Our owner, Jessica Smit, falls into the first group. The movie sparked her love for sharks, inspiring her journey to South Africa to work with these incredible creatures.

Jessica is not the only one out there who saw the good in “Jaws”. In fact, many people who loved the movie now have a greater respect for the creatures portrayed in the Hollywood thriller.

Our long-term volunteer, Joe Long, was inspired by Jaws. Joe writes: “I was 3 years old when Jaws was released in 1975, I most remember the hype around the film, the fear was spreading about this big, evil fish. I remember being fascinated, seeing a shark model on a fete trailer and my family buying me a rubber shark.

So, this fear turned into fascination for me. I’d read articles, watch any documentary on TV as a child, especially if they were with Ron and Valerie Taylor, my heroes. These two amazing individuals taught me to admire Sharks and see how demonized they had been by the film. Little did I know that one day I’d come face to face with the gorgeous Great White through volunteering for ‘White Shark Projects’ and using my art to spread shark love.”

The other emotion evoked by Jaws is pure and utter fear. Children would have sleepless nights, and even some adults pledged never to step foot in the ocean again! This is usually the reaction that directors hope to achieve when making a thriller, and they surely pulled it off with this one.

Our marine biologist, Hannah Snyman, writes: “Some people believe the sharks depicted in movies like Jaws are real creatures lurking in the depths, waiting to attack humans. People do not want to protect something they are so terrified of (think of spiders, and snakes, for example.

People’s first reaction is to kill). My concern is that these types of movies have instilled a deep-seated fear in people, and this fear is now being passed down to today’s youth. These young individuals will shape our future, including the fate of sharks in our oceans. Therefore, it is crucial to change their perception of sharks for the better.”

Soon after the movie hit the big screen, thousands of fishermen rushed to the ocean to rid the planet of these “killing machines” that were “only out for human blood”. Shark populations along the east coast of North America dropped by 50 percent following the movie’s release. The director and the author of Jaws, Steven Spielberg and Peter Benchley respectively, have since confessed that they deeply regret the decimation of shark populations due to the influence of the book and movie adaptation.

Unfortunately, the reputation given to sharks by mainstream movies like Jaws, The Meg, The Shallows, Sharknado, and many more, continues to have an effect to this day. Instead of viewing these animals as something to protect and cherish, people have been “trained” to fear and hate them, which leads to the general feeling that we would be better off without them. But as Dr Sylvia Earle once said, “You should be afraid if you are in the ocean and DON’T see sharks!”

Without sharks in our ocean, the entire marine ecosystem would collapse. This means there would be almost no fish or shellfish left for our own consumption, not to mention the rapid decline of the health of coral reefs worldwide. There are over 3 billion people that rely on the ocean to put food on the table for their families. Without sharks, these people will suffer greatly, and be driven into poverty.

It is wonderful that some found Jaws fascinating and inspirational but the truth is that they are in the minority. Most viewers were left trembling in their boots. The negative narrative around sharks needs to change. They are not the monsters that movies and sensational news stories make them out to be. By understanding the reality of their behavior and their crucial role in the ecosystem, we can appreciate sharks for the incredible creatures they are.

This is why we want to give people the opportunity to see and experience the true nature of sharks up close. By changing the way we perceive and portray sharks, we can ensure that they continue to thrive in our oceans for generations to come.