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Shark Trouble by Peter Benchley
Shark Trouble by Peter Benchley
The author of Jaws scared the wits out of millions of readers worldwide. Fear of sharks was further energised by the movie, under the deft direction of Steven Spielberg. Neither would need to apologise for their creative ability to scare people. That's show-biz.
Now a new book by Peter Benchley called Shark Trouble gives the author a chance to set forth what he has learned about sharks and recount his real-life experiences in the sea with them.
His frequent articles in National Geographic have already revealed his range of careful research and commitment to truth in reporting.
Sharks are in trouble today. Much of Peter Benchley's time and energy has for some years since Jaws been directed towards shark conservation. He is a spokesman for a number of marine-conservation organisations, including WildAid and the Oceans Program of Environmental Defence.
In Shark Trouble he addresses the reality of shark attack by asking: 'Who is the predator?' He answers his own question with startling statistics: 'Éfor every human being killed by a shark, roughly 10 million sharks are killed by humans - and mostly for their fins.'
He succinctly addresses the 'shark fever' generated by the media in 2001, when there was a slump in dramatic news and the media needed grist. An accident to a boy whose arm was bitten off in a shark attack started them on their roll, even though shark attack incidents had declined since the previous year. 'Castro Trained Killer Sharks to Attack US' headlined one weekly paper.
Benchley explores the appeal of 'monster' reporting and the deeply rooted fear of sharks that afflicts the public.
He defuses it with the reality of shark behaviour, and further touches on the fragility of the ocean environment, the vital part that sharks have in the food chain and the stability of that environment.
That leads, of course, to the critical damage being done today by overfishing. The shockingly wanton, wasteful and massive destruction of sharks for their fins alone is a most telling example.
Benchley's own experiences on camera for the National Geographic Society and - for many years - with this writer for ABC and ESPN are recounted with the dramatic skill for which he is well known.
Much of the book is given to presenting well-informed, accurate information on dangerous marine animals, sea snakes, barracudas, moray eels and other classic but inoffensive 'villains'.
Chapters entitled 'How to Avoid Shark Attack', 'Swimming Safely In the Sea' and a final practical summing-up, 'Okay, So What Can We Do?' provide no-nonsense advice for readers, both hopefuls and seasoned divers, who wish to enjoy the sea.
The author sums up his aim with the book: 'I'll try to pass on what I have learned about sharks and about keeping safe in the sea, to show you what sharks are like and why they don't want to hurt you or eat you, why they would like nothing better than to be left alone to do what Nature has programmed them to do: swim, eat and make little sharks.'
The aim is well met and excellent reading as well. This book is of real importance to the diving public and all who are concerned about the health of the world's oceans.
Stan Waterman
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| Shark Trouble by Peter Benchley (Random House, ISBN 0375508244). Hardback, 224pp, US $21.95 |
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