UNDER ATTACK

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International regulations on shark fishing are much harder to implement than local laws. Three years ago, the member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ordered an investigation into the status of sharks worldwide. A preliminary version of that report, issued last December, warned of commercial fisheries collapses, local species extinctions and depletion of highly migratory stocks unless action was taken soon.

Nevertheless, two shark-related protection proposals were defeated at the recent biennial CITES meeting in Zimbabwe. Several nations successfully argued that fisheries management should be handled on a regional rather than a global basis. That makes no sense to marine biologists, since some shark species migrate thousands of miles. The Audubon Society's Camhi and other shark specialists hope to make a more convincing case at the next meeting, in 1999.

Perhaps they could make their point more strongly if they could get CITES to meet in Honolulu next time and take the other delegates out to visit the tiger sharks on their home turf. Arguments about the impact on marine ecosystems and about the destruction of creatures whose biochemistry might one day save lives are, in the end, somewhat dry and academic.

But there is nothing academic about a tiger shark bobbing in the preternaturally clear Hawaiian sea. I am now in the water, and Meyer has released the measured, tagged shark. Another student stands by to help it get moving, but that turns out to be unnecessary. With an almost imperceptible flick of its muscular tail, the massive fish is suddenly ten yards away, a graceful, pale white torpedo gliding effortlessly down into the measureless blue depths. In the face of such beauty, dignity and grace, I almost forget my fear.

--With reporting by Greg Aunapu/Miami, Andrea Dorfman/New York and Jeanne McDowell/Los Angeles