Renowned oceanographer, author of the book In the name of sharks published in 2022 by Actes Sud, François Sarano, former traveling companion of Commander Cousteau, for whom he was expedition leader aboard the Calypsois one of the very first men to dive with great white sharks.
“Without a cage, because meeting these living beings can only be done with respect for others”he declares. While a specimen of this unfairly feared species has just been observed a few cables from Porquerolles, the scientist, founder of the Longitude 181 association, answers our questions with passion and tries to reconcile man and sharks.
Are you surprised by the sighting of a great white shark along the Var coast?
Absolutely not. What surprises me most is the media hype surrounding this observation. Soon, we will be surprised to see birds in the sky. The presence of a great white shark, in this case a female having most likely reached sexual maturity, is pleasing, but we should not make much of it. You should know that in the middle of the 20th century, the population of great white sharks was very significant in the Mediterranean. The largest stuffed specimen, and exhibited in a museum in Switzerland, was actually caught in the 1950s off the coast of Sète.
This type of “encounter”, fleeting to say the least, nevertheless remains very rare. How to explain it?
Every year, the presence of white sharks is reported in Spain, Italy, Morocco, and even Tunisia… But according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the species is now in critical danger of extinction in the Mediterranean. It is mainly the victim of fishing, whether targeted or accidental. This is particularly the case in the Gulf of Gabès in Tunisia, considered a breeding area for great white sharks in the Mediterranean. Pregnant females are regularly caught in nets or on hooks. But even when they are still alive, we kill them instead of releasing them. Because of the a prioriof the fear that these sharks inspire.
The great white shark has a particularly bad reputation. Should we fear it?
The fear of sharks, which dates back to the early 20th century and a series of five consecutive accidents along the northeast coast of the United States in which a single bull shark was probably responsible, is completely unjustified. Of the hundreds of millions of people who swim around the world each year, the number of accidents involving sharks – all species combined – is less than a hundred! And if we consider great white sharks alone, we come down to less than ten accidents per year. It's anecdotal. Statistically, horse riding is much more dangerous and yet we don't hear about it.
So no worries about seeing great white sharks swimming near the Îles d'Hyères, a very touristy area?
The island of Djerba, also a very tourist destination, is located in the Gulf of Gabès which I mentioned previously and we have not reported any accidents linked to the great white sharks which reproduce there. I repeat: we must not fear this species. But you shouldn't be a fool and jump on them as soon as you see one from your boat. Swimming with sharks, including great white sharks, brings peace. It's an incredible experience as long as you swim alongside them in a respectful manner, with respect and consideration as you would with any other living being.
Can the Pelagos sanctuary where the sighting took place explain the presence of the great white shark?
It is true that the Pelagos sanctuary has very rich marine fauna, notably cetaceans and tuna, but I would not link this richness and the presence of a great white shark. Now so much the better if we observe great white sharks, and more particularly in the Port-Cros National Park whose absolutely magnificent ecosystems show us the Mediterranean of tomorrow, the one that I would like to offer to my children. “Homo sapiens”, the wise and reasonable men that we are supposed to be, must try to understand the needs of the great white shark and give it its place.
