By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

CANDACE Fields grew up in The Bahamas curious about what swam beneath the surface. While other kids played in the sand, she peered into the water, drawn to the fish and the mystery of the sea.

Now, as a PhD candidate in marine biology, she’s turning that childhood curiosity into conservation work, work that’s taken her all the way to National Geographic’s SharkFest 2025.

Ms Fields appears in six episodes of the series, including one focused on shark attacks in Bahamian waters. She’s not just an expert in front of the camera. She’s also someone who represents a shift in who gets to tell the story of sharks and oceans.

“You see the difference of impact when it’s coming from somebody who looks like you, from who sounds like you, who’s where you’re from,” she said yesterday. “There are many people who are discouraged from pursuing certain things if they don’t see themselves represented in that field.”

In the episode, which aired Saturday, Ms Fields helps walk viewers through shark-related incidents in The Bahamas, acknowledging the fear they provoke, but placing them in context.

“We can’t pretend these things don’t happen,” she said. “But we also have to understand that it’s a positive thing that we are conserving sharks.”

Ms Fields is pursuing her doctorate at Florida International University, focusing on the conservation of the oceanic whitetip, a critically endangered shark once common in Bahamian waters.

She’s quick to push back on the idea that sharks are mindless threats.

“People often think of sharks as mindless predators, but they’re actually incredibly intelligent and play an essential role in keeping the ocean in balance,” she said.

She points to tiger sharks, which affect sea turtle behaviour, helping protect seagrass beds that support lobster and conch populations.

Still, Ms Fields knows her work often runs up against public fears, especially in a country where tourism is vital.

“One of the biggest challenges is the perception that, because I advocate for sharks, I’m somehow valuing them above people,” she said. “That’s not the case at all. Conservation is about balance.”

Shark bites are extremely rare, but the reaction they spark is often swift and emotional.

“The number of incidents is extremely low compared to how many interactions people have with sharks every day without anything happening,” she said. “But the public reaction is still, ‘Get rid of all the sharks.’”

Ms Fields argues that research, not panic, should guide decision-making. Her work includes genetic analysis, satellite tracking, and underwater video surveys. Through DNA sampling, she traced nearly 20 percent of shark fins in international markets back to the Atlantic, despite strict trade rules.

“This species is one of the most highly protected sharks out there, and yet illegal trade is still happening,” she said.

That kind of data, she says, is essential for shaping policy.

“We struggle to do enough research to determine if certain policy responses are truly necessary,” she said. “What we need is effective, well-supported research that allows us to monitor our species, especially when public safety or livelihoods are involved.”

In recent years, however, research in The Bahamas has become more difficult, with permit approvals becoming slower and more restrictive.

“We have the capacity to be a model for what healthy shark populations look like, but without consistent support for research, we risk losing that edge,” she said.

Her findings will be presented at the next CITES meeting, where she hopes they’ll help elevate the oceanic whitetip’s protection status to the highest level –– banning all international trade.

“It’s not just about collecting data,” she said. “It’s about building a baseline understanding of these populations so we can track their recovery over time.”

Back on Cat Island, Ms Fields continues seasonal surveys, identifying sharks by their fin patterns using underwater cameras.

“This is an example of research impacting policy directly,” she said. “It’s super exciting to be part of something that could actually change how these sharks are protected on a global scale.”