Lewis Pugh said he is frightened of sharks but more terrified of a world without them, and that’s what the world could be looking at if we don’t act now
Endurance athlete Lewis Pugh is embarking on a swim in a great white shark “hotspot” for the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws, as he calls for action to protect them. The Plymouth-based swimmer started a 60-mile swim around Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the east coast of the US where the blockbuster movie – which cast a great white shark as the ultimate underwater villain – was filmed.
Pugh hopes his 12-day swim will change the narrative around sharks, as he seeks to educate people about the value of the apex predators that pre-date dinosaurs but are being pushed to extinction by humans. “It’s the 50th anniversary of Jaws. It’s such an important moment to stop and reflect and tell the full story of sharks for a new generation,” said Pugh, 55.
He added: “I’m frightened of sharks. But I’m more terrified of a world without them, and that’s what we’re looking at if we don’t act now. Without sharks to keep them in balance, marine ecosystems are unravelling at frightening speed. We need a new narrative about these magnificent animals because the one we’ve been hearing for the past 50 years threatens our oceans.”
Since 1970, shark populations have plummeted by approximately 70% worldwide through overfishing and habitat destruction, the Lewis Pugh Foundation noted. Each year, an estimated 100 million sharks are killed — that’s 274,000 every single day — for their fins, meat, oil, and sport. The result isn’t just species loss; it’s ecological collapse, with devastating consequences for ocean health and global food security.
“Sharks are integral to ocean health, and ocean health is integral to human survival,” Pugh continued. “This is not just about future generations. We must learn to respect and protect sharks today, and this will be my key message.”
Over the past few decades great white shark numbers have recovered around Martha’s Vineyard thanks to conservation efforts. In addition, Pugh says, Massachusetts has recently taken efforts to protect white sharks from on-shore fishing. But this is not the case worldwide, where great white sharks are under increased threat.
Pugh’s fight to highlight the overfishing, climate and pollution threats to the oceans and seek greater protection for the world’s seas has previously had him take to the water in places ranging from the South Atlantic to the English Channel up to the Arctic and Greenland’s Ilulissat glacier.
The 55-year-old added: “When we damage the environment, we create conditions that are ripe for conflict. But when we protect the environment, we foster peace. For centuries we have not only been fighting over the environment, we have been fighting against it. We must learn to make peace with nature for the sake of future generations.”
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: “Migratory species like large sharks are nature’s messengers – they reveal the health of our oceans and, by extension, our planet. Their decline is a clear signal that we are pushing marine ecosystems to the brink. We need ambitious action to protect all marine biodiversity – and we need it now.”
“As a lifelong surfer and conservationist, I’ve seen first-hand how the ocean supports our communities,” said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility.
“Apex species like sharks not only signal the health of our oceans, they help maintain it. When sharks are at risk, so are we. The GEF has advanced the protection of sharks and their ocean habitats for over three decades through investments in sustainable fisheries management and championing marine protected areas, including shark sanctuaries, around the world.
“Lewis’s shark swim and his 30×30 efforts are essential for our collective efforts to ensure the next generation of surfers, swimmers, and ocean conservationists can follow in our footsteps.”