Shark In A Bottle -The Truth About Sharks With UM's Dr. Glenn Parsons

In the new movie “47 Meters Down,” two girls, played by Mandy Moore and Claire Holt, are trapped in a shark cage on the ocean floor. Not to give away any spoilers but there are several great white sharks in the water, and they are hungry.
Viewers should be used to the savage man-eaters projected by popular medias. Great whites, especially, get a bad reputation for being the main monsters in stock horror films.
According to the research by Dr. Glenn R. Parsons, Professor at the University of Mississippi’s biology department, sharks are some of the most misunderstood animals in the ocean.
Some of the oldest living creatures on the planet, sharks are unique fish that have more to offer the public than jump scares.
“While certainly they will bite and there are a few fatal attacks each year, in general, humans are not a part of the normal diet for sharks, Parsons said. “Most sharks prefer living/fresh, whole fish.”
In Parsons’ book “Sharks, Skates, and Rays of the Gulf of Mexico,” he explains how sharks help the environment by regulating ocean populations. Without sharks, there would be an increase in certain populations of sea life that would lead to unwanted changes in the ecosystem.
According to an article by Businessinsider.com, “Here’s how often Americans really die from shark attacks,” people only have a one in eight million chance of dying from a shark attack. In contrast, one in seven Americans is likely to die from cancer or heart disease.
“To put things in perspective, you are much more likely to be killed in a car accident or break the bank at a Mississippi casino than be shark bitten,” Parsons said.

It is not a surprise that great whites are scarier than life. As quoted in the classic film “Jaws,” which came out 42 years ago today.
“He’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn’t seem to be living’… until he bites ya.” Roll the music!
Great whites sharks can grow from 6.1 to 15.5 feet long. Their populations have also been on the decline over the past years. They are sometimes found in the Gulf of Mexico, from January to April, off the west coast of Florida, and protected in federal waters.
“From what I have read, great whites are pretty fragile,” Mike Nelson, former University of Mississippi research technician, said. “No great white has ever been kept alive in captivity. It might be caused by the stress of capture.”
In contrast to public opinions, sharks have more reason to fear us than we do them. Many sharks are accidentally caught and killed in fishing nets.
Currently, Parsons’ group is studying ways to relieve the stress of captured sharks. They are also working on new leaders and hooks that will reduce unintended catching of sharks during commercial and recreational fishing.

Bycatch, which refers to the catching of unwanted creatures during commercial fishing, can have a devastating impact on the environment. At Parsons Consulting LLC, researchers are studying several shark species’ tooth morphology to create leaders that allow sharks to release themselves but not the wanted fish.
Before deciding to become a permanent land dweller due to shark-phobia, look up the facts; Sharks are survivors, not monsters. To reduce the likeliness of being attacked, Dr. Parsons recommends never swimming alone, at night or in deep, murky water.
“I am aware of cage diving but have never done one myself,” Parsons said. “Obviously, choosing a reputable group to go out with is probably the most important recommendation. After that, it is all just common sense; keep hands and feet inside the cage at all times.”

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Allen Brewer is an intern for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at agbrewer@go.olemiss.edu. 
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