As apex predators, tiger sharks and other shark species play a critical role in maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems.
But shark populations are decreasing around the world, due to overfishing and the high demand for shark fin soup. When their numbers plummet, it can have a chain reaction on ocean food webs, impacting seabirds and commercially important fish species, such as tuna and jacks. This is only one example of how removing sharks from the marine environment may have other negative effects that spread through the food web.
Learn more at http://www.pewenvironment.org/sharks.