Juliet Eilperin

Demon Fish is not so much a book about sharks as about shark conservation in the face of the depredations of commercial fishing and adventure tourism. A reader who comes to this book expecting to learn about the animals themselves, as I did, is likely to be disappointed.

Eilperin places sharks within an evolutionary and cultural context that goes back to pre-history. Civilisations across the globe, from PNG to the Aztecs to the Chinese, have revered sharks. In the latter case, this has show more transmuted into a cultural eating practice that threatens sharks' very survival and, with them, a host of other creatures in the oceanic food chain.

Most of the book is devoted to Eilperin reiterating her message that global conservation measures are needed urgently, with stories from around the world of the impact of shark exploitation and some isolated examples of communities that have found ways of living with sharks rather than killing them for profit.

In the end though, Eilperin comes across as somewhat naive. Anyone who has observed the world's progress on dealing with climate change will realise how untenable are her calls for a globally co-ordinated effort on shark protection. After all, if we can't co-operate in our own interest we're unlikely to do so on behalf of another species. Similarly, the workings of the International Whaling Commission are a perfect study of the likely response when calls are made to restrict the exploitation of a resource some countries see as part of tbeir cultural heritage.

In short, Eilperin's hoped-for solution is never going to happen, and her book might have been stronger had she acknowledged that and set out some new ideas for long-term shark survival. As it stands, the sinking feeling one takes away from her book is that the damage is irreversible and we may be one of the last few generations of humans to see these wonderful animals in the wild. show less

Sharks. Fish to be feared? Or, should we be exchanging our fear for awe? These ancient fish that have evolved for eons are now facing decimation, and in the case of certain species, humans are the ones doing the killing. As the author points out, sharks are hard to love. They aren’t soft and fuzzy and they’re saddled with all those teeth that look ready to take a leg off. How do you make that appealing? I found Demon Fish a very enjoyable read but I’m one of those people that believes show more sharks can be lovable or at the very least fascinating.

Traveling to South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, and Belize, Eilperin meets with shark callers, scientists, shark evangelists, fisherman, environmentalists, restaurateurs selling shark fin soup, and even meets a few sharks up close. It’s all done in an attempt to understand what draws people to sharks with all their sharp teeth and fins. Frankly, in some instances, it’s cold hard cash but for others, it’s true admiration. Each though has a strange reverence for the fish even the ones that make their living off dead sharks.

It’s full of facts: what it takes to track a shark, DNA studies, the cost of shark fins, and shark fishing. I found myself constantly amazed by the cash amounts assigned to certain parts of a shark’s anatomy. I also wanted to follow my husband around citing random shark facts at him. Considering my husband doesn’t share my love of sharks, he would have found this really annoying. I would have found it enlightening and fun.

I’ve mentioned this before; I’m a huge fan of the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. I actually wrote this while watching an episode on great whites so I guess it’s fitting that I’m posting it today. While this book focused on the economy of sharks --- their worth on the open market as well as their scientific and ecological worth --- I enjoyed it. I would have liked more information about specific species (Have you ever heard of a salmon shark or a goblin shark?) but that wasn’t the focus of the book, however, it was still a satisfying read. If you have an interest in sharks, this is a good addition to your library. show less

If sharks interest you, you'll want to read this book. Eilperin, a Washington Post reporter, provides the latest information about sharks. Unfortunately, her writing style is not very exciting, but the information makes it worth reading anyway.
New developments that she describes include documented cases of virgin births in captive sharks, the increase in whale shark tourism, new research on shark repellents, and the shark fin soup industry. One of the strong points of the book is its show more international coverage, from Mexico to New Guinea, Belize, South Africa, and China.
The main focus of Eilperin's book is the recent research into shark populations, documenting the drastic reduction in shark numbers worldwide. I'm one of those who doesn't feel that's necessarily a bad thing, but Eilperin makes a good case that it is very harmful to oceanic ecosystems, and thus to us all.
Eilperin is pro-shark, and makes a persuasive case for the creature. I'm sure it is true, as she states, that many more people die from household accidents than from shark attacks. However, as I write this, one of the top stories in the UK press concerns the killing of a honeymooner in the Seychelles by a shark. That might have been good for the local ecosystem, but I'm sure his brand new widow is not comforted by Eilperin's statistics. show less

Some of the chapters were great but some of them felt like they dragged on forever. I love sharks but I wish the book had been more consistent.