Sharkwater Extinction

Sharks traditionally get a bad press. But it's getting better, thanks to evangelising film-makers and conservationists like Rob Stewart. In this follow-up to his award-winning 2006 film Sharkwater, Stewart dives deep into the murky waters of illegal and indiscriminate fishing, and the demand for shark-fin soup. He blames the industry for more than half the staggering 150 million sharks that are estimated killed each year, many for human consumption in some shape or form, but also for pet food and cosmetics. He looks at the effect these deaths are having on the important role that apex predators like sharks play in the ocean eco-system. Tragically, this is Stewart's final film. He died in a diving accident during the final phases of shooting, and the picture was finished by his parents. It's a documentary with real bite, and a moving, fitting and important memorial to a dedicated documentary-maker.