Sharks More Valuable Alive Then Dead

Here’s a really important finding, one that might not shock you, but is good to be heard: Scuba Divers are willing to pay more money for a better chance of seeing marine wildlife. You know what that means? It means that divers are willing pay to keep charismatic animals like sharks and turtles alive.

Although I am not a huge believer in flagship species conservation, these results are obviously great to hear as an underwater photographer, diver and ocean lover. According to the study done in Hawaii,recreational divers would be willing to pay 35 extra dollars to see sharks and 30 dollars more to see turtles. If that money goes into protecting sharks andturtles, and thus their environment, it would bring in an additional 212 million dollars in marine conservation.

If that number is correct, then, not surprisingly sharks will be more valuable alive then dead as 212 million is more money than theshark fishing industry.

The study was done by environmental advocacy group Oceana.