Once, dense schools of hammerheads and giant manta rays made the Sea of Cortés a diving mecca, and tourism flourished. But in the 1990s shark fishery permits were issued indiscriminately, and multinational fleets “strip mined” populations. This triggered a cascade of collapse among several species, and tourism plummeted. But today, scientists and fishermen work together to heal and protect this priceless marine ecosystem. —MJS

Two young ocean naturalists whimsically teach us about their favorite fish. They invite us to ponder which saltwater critters delight us the most with their unique adaptations, and they encourage us to consider how we can use our own “superpowers” to protect them. —BB

Worldwide, about five people die from shark attacks each year. Meanwhile, nearly 100 million sharks are killed, many on hooks on long lines miles in length set out to catch tuna. In the US, shark fishing tournaments along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts add to the slaughter. —KH

In Florida, anglers on beaches, piers, and bridges catch tens of thousands of sharks annually. Scientists have learned that, despite so-called safe “catch and release” fishing, the physiological stress of the fight kills many of them post-release, including critically endangered great hammerheads. Now they’re using this knowledge to educate and collaboratively engage recreational anglers and fishery regulators to save sharks from extinction. —MJS