The Deep End

Madison Stewart, a.k.a. Shark Girl, takes a look at the harmful practice of using shark nets in her native Australia.

There’s a secret in Darwin, Australia: unlike the rest of the country where tiger sharks are feared and hunted to protect beach goers and surfers, in Darwin tiger sharks are respected and are slowly becoming a source of jobs for the region. Fusion’s shark correspondent Madison Stewart travels to Darwin, to speak to the operators of one of the country’s few shark tourism operations and learn about the benefits of saving the region's sharks. Stewart explores how to change Australia’s perspective on these enigmatic predators, before it’s too late.

Great White Sharks suffer from one of the worst public relations attacks in history; since Jaws was released in the 1970’s, these majestic predators have been seen as vicious man-eating machines. But Hollywood photographer Michael Muller, known as White Mike, is working hard to change that, using his knowledge of advertising and art to give Great Whites a much needed facelift. Fusion’s shark correspondent Madison Stewart travels to Isla Guadalupe, where she meets with Michael and has the opportunity to dive with the king of the oceans.

While most of the world fears sharks and views them as dangerous predators, in Fiji sharks are protected, respected and even revered as gods. Madison Stewart, Fusion’s resident Shark Girl, travels to this archipelago in the South Pacific, to explore how the Fijian shark-god, known as Dakuwaqa, plays into the protection and conservation of the region’s sharks. By speaking with tourism operators, conservationists and local residents, Stewart shows us how Fiji became one of the few places on the planet where sharks aren’t just protected, but also play a vital role in the economic success of the region.

When Jeremiah Sullivan was a young marine biologist he wanted to get close to sharks to study them while making sure he stayed safe in the process. With this in mind, he developed the world's first ever shark suit—basically a thin, chainmail armor outfit that Jeremiah created with material similar to that used in butcher's gloves. His designs have evolved over the years and are now used around the world. His shark suits protect people from the immediate danger of shark bites when in high-risk situations like shark feeding and research. The suits changed the way researchers and filmmakers interact with sharks and set a foundation for the tourism industry that exists today.

Many small island nations have lived in co-existence with sharks for centuries, some even going as far as to make sharks part of their religion. One such place is Hawaii. With a strong respect for sharks ingrained in their culture, some Hawaiian natives not only continue to respect sharks after losing limbs to them, but also take seeing them in the wild as a sign from an ancient ancestors spirit. In this film we explore two fascinating residents of Hawaii and their relationship with the ocean's top predator.

From the shores of Mexico where sharks are being caught at an unsustainable rate Madison Stewart questions the idea that hope for the future of the seas is key to saving them. Hope is not an option she says. Hope is a resignation of its own. It’s like giving up and not fighting for the future. So instead of hope, she calls for action.

Everyday throughout the world: people are killing sharks, diving with sharks, worshiping sharks, even eating sharks. When I was young I found one way to grab people's attention for the issues I cared about, and that was filmmaking. These short films are an extension of the path I now take to document sharks around the world and save the things I care about. With footage I have collected by myself and with the help of others, and stories that have captured and fascinated me, and cultures and people I have seen. Sharks are still feared around the world, and are still a secret to so many people, we are shedding new light and changing that now through small films like these. From activists to fishermen, this series is an insight into many small stories about sharks and how they have shaped people and places around the world.

Everyday throughout the world: people are killing sharks, diving with sharks, worshiping sharks, even eating sharks. When I was young I found one way to grab people's attention for the issues I cared about, and that was filmmaking. These short films are an extension of the path I now take to document sharks around the world and save the things I care about. With footage I have collected by myself and with the help of others, and stories that have captured and fascinated me, and cultures and people I have seen. Sharks are still feared around the world, and are still a secret to so many people, we are shedding new light and changing that now through small films like these. From activists to fishermen, this series is an insight into many small stories about sharks and how they have shaped people and places around the world.

Everyday throughout the world: people are killing sharks, diving with sharks, worshiping sharks, even eating sharks. When I was young I found one way to grab people's attention for the issues I cared about, and that was filmmaking. These short films are an extension of the path I now take to document sharks around the world and save the things I care about. With footage I have collected by myself and with the help of others, and stories that have captured and fascinated me, and cultures and people I have seen. Sharks are still feared around the world, and are still a secret to so many people, we are shedding new light and changing that now through small films like these. From activists to fishermen, this series is an insight into many small stories about sharks and how they have shaped people and places around the world.

Humans are terrified of sharks, viewing them as some of the world’s most dangerous hunters. But it’s really the sharks that should fear humans. Fusion’s shark correspondent, Madison Stewart, travels to Miami Florida to visit Mark the Shark, one of the world’s most notorious shark hunters who, by his own estimates, has killed over 100,000 sharks throughout his life.