“The US is the seventh worst country for killing sharks,” Abernethy says, founder of Wildlife VOICE and a pioneer of cageless shark diving. “Florida alone kills 1.1 million sharks a year, even though we’ve banned the fin trade.”

It is a shocking revelation. Many assume shark fin soup is a distant problem, tied to cultural traditions in parts of Asia. But Abernethy sets the record straight: America is deeply entangled in the global supply chain that fuels the demand for shark fins. And the result? A freefall in shark populations, driven by prestige, tradition and profits.

The shark fin trade

“Shark fin soup is the number one reason sharks are disappearing,” Abernethy explains. “It’s not a regional issue—it’s global.” Often, the animals are caught, their fins sliced off, and their bodies discarded at sea. The cruelty is matched only by the waste: sharks dying slow deaths, thrown away like trash.

Even where legislation exists, the system is riddled with loopholes. Boats in US waters can legally take up to 29 sharks per trip, with no limit on the number of trips. “The wolf is guarding the henhouse,” Abernethy says of the federal fisheries board, which includes commercial shark fishers.

Bycatch

And the damage does not end with shark fins. Abernethy points to a little-known consequence of industrial fishing: bycatch, much of it ground up and fed to livestock. “Cattle—herbivores—are the largest consumers of fish on the planet,” he says, incredulous. “It’s cheaper to feed them bycatch than grass. That’s the sick irony.”

The collapse of shark populations is just one symptom of a larger, interconnected crisis. “Animal agriculture is the leading driver behind 11 of the world’s most urgent problems,” Abernethy says, citing species extinction, starvation, disease, and pollution. “Only 4% of animals on Earth today are wild. The rest are livestock or pets. That imbalance is dangerous.”

The precious ocean

Sharks are essential to healthy oceans, and healthy oceans are essential to all life on Earth. “The ocean is the lungs of the planet,” Abernethy says. “It produces over 50% of the air we breathe. And more than 70% of global protein comes from the sea. When we destroy marine life, we’re hurting ourselves.”

But Abernethy does not just sound the alarm—he offers solutions. Chief among them: ecotourism.

“You only protect what you love. And you only love what you’ve experienced,” he says.

The value of ecotourism

Back in the early 2000s, Abernethy discovered the largest whale shark aggregation ever recorded—just 25 miles off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. At the time, the island was a struggling fishing village. “Fishermen were desperate,” he recalls. “They couldn’t feed their families.”

Abernethy launched the island’s first whale shark tour business. Within a year, 12 more operators joined, and today, over 350 permitted tours support the island’s thriving economy. “The same fishermen who once hunted whale sharks now protect them,” he says. “It’s a complete turnaround.”

Love for sharks

This philosophy runs through all of Abernethy’s work: replace exploitation with connection. For more than 30 years, he has been diving with sharks, earning their trust, removing fishing hooks by hand, and proving that these animals are not the villains we have made them out to be.

His most famous companion? Emma, a 15-foot tiger shark that he has known since 2001.

“She swims right up to me and waits for head rubs,” he says, smiling. “You can’t fake that. She wants affection.”

The damage done by fishing

Emma’s story is one of hundreds. Abernethy has removed hooks from scores of sharks—without cages, without feeding, just a gentle touch and patience. He teaches others to do the same. “People think I’m crazy—until they see it for themselves. These aren’t mindless monsters. They’re sentient, intelligent, and even affectionate.”

Wildlife VOICE

Through his nonprofit, Wildlife VOICE, Abernethy mentors a new generation of conservationists, like Cash Daniels, known as “The Conservation Kid.” His goal? To instil empathy, action, and critical thinking. “If we teach the next generation to care, there’s still time to change course.”

The threats to sharks are vast—overfishing, livestock feed industries, outdated policies and cultural status symbols—but so are the solutions. From policy reform to personal connection, Abernethy’s life work reminds us that real change often starts with a single encounter.

“Love conquers all,” he says. “And if we can learn to love sharks, maybe—just maybe—we’ll save them.”