Rob Stewart’s mission will live on forever through films.

The underwater videographer and conservationist taught the world to love and not fear sharks through his images. He founded the groups United Conservationists and Fin Free, while inspiring others to do the same. His documentaries have led to legislative changes and spawned the careers of dozens who wished to follow in his footsteps.

“I believe Rob did more for making shark conservation important than any scientist to date,” Dalhousie University shark biologist Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark said.

Stewart’s third film, Sharkwater Extinction, made it’s theatrical release this weekend after debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to see the finished product. Stewart died during the primary filming in January.

“The world has lost a man who dedicated his life to protecting our oceans and sharks,” Leonardo DiCaprio said afterward. “He’ll be missed.”

Through Stewart’s inspiration, the conservation community surrounding him and his work brought the project to completion.

A Legacy’s Last Chapter

According to the film’s official synopsis, Extinction dives into remote underwater locations to reveal the catastrophic effects humanity has had on the oceans. Illegal overfishing of sharks across the planet has deeper consequences that put the Earth’s most important ecosystem in danger of collapsing, which threatens all life in, and above, the ocean.

100 – 150 million sharks are killed every year, but only about half of them are reported, including endangered species. Shark populations have dropped more than 90% in the last 40 years. Without the oceans’ main predator, marine ecosystems are being destroyed beyond repair. The film addresses not just shark finning, but the use of shark products in cosmetics, food products, pet foods, livestock and fertilizer.

Following Stewart’s death, editor Nick Hector took on the task of cutting the hundreds of hours of raw footage and volumes worth of film notes to bring Rob’s vision to completion. Along with Stewart’s raw footage, award-winning underwater cinematographers like SeaChange founder Brock Cahill, Andy Brandy Casagrande and Will Allen contributed to the film.

“Rob had a magical way of connecting with audiences and this film is one more step in his mission to inspire action in the important fight to protect this planet for generations to come,” his parent’s Brian and Sandy said via release for the TIFF.

Using Film for Change

Rob’s first film, Sharkwater, brought the devastating issue of shark finning used in shark fin soup to the world stage. His multi award-winning film made history with the largest opening weekend of any Canadian documentary, and was the most award-winning documentary of the year, winning over 35 awards at the TIFF. The film changed laws and public policy worldwide, and created hundreds of conservation groups.

Among them was Richard Branson’s Ocean Elders, which he founded after Stewart taught the billionaire philanthropist to dive.

“I don’t think there’s a film that’s influenced me more than Sharkwater,” Branson said.

Today more than 90 countries have banned shark finning or the trade of shark products. Even so, Stewart finds sharks are still being fished to extinction.

Rob’s second film, Revolution, continued his quest to save sharks and the oceans. Revolution was the first feature film to platform the devastating effects of Ocean Acidification. According to the official synopsis, climate change was well known, but scientists were just realizing the effects would be much worse than ever imagined. “We were in danger of losing the coral reefs, and potentially the entire ocean ecosystem, which gives us 70% of our oxygen, absorbs 70% of our greenhouse gasses, and 30% of our heat. Sharks, the top predator controlling the fish populations below them and the plankton that give us our oxygen, are being fished to extinction in an ecosystem they have controlled for 400 million years.”

For Extinction, Stewart continued his courageous crusade through the oceans and across four continents to investigate the corruption behind a multi-billion-dollar pirate fishing trade and massive illegal shark fin industry. From West Africa, Spain, Panama, Costa Rica, France, and even North America, Stewart exposes the shocking truth that is leading to the extinction of our oldest remaining predator and ultimately to the destruction of our planet.

Rob’s Story Swims On

Rob inspired young filmmakers to follow his lead, among them Julia Barnes’ Sea of Life,

Natalie Lucier’s With Love to the Orcas, Madison Stewart’s Shark Girl and Jonah Bryson’s A Sweet Spot In Time. Stewart’s impact as a conservationist, however, went far beyond his achievements as a filmmaker.

Senator Michael MacDonald cited Stewart’s seminal work in Sharkwater for his decision to bring forward legislation to ban the importation of shark fins to the United States.

“Bill S-238 was inspired by Rob’s work,” he said. “His award-winning documentary is largely responsible for shedding light on the detrimental effects shark finning is having on the species. Rob committed his life to educating the public about the true nature of and importance of our oceans’ ecosystems.”

Stewart’s combined efforts and the effects he had on other conservationists has been credited with saving nearly one-third of the world’s shark populations. Consumption of fins dropped by half in Hong Kong alone and in 2013 the Chinese government banned shark fin soup at their banquets.

“A rare gift to the oceans and the world. There was no one like Rob and his loss is profound,” environmental activist David Suzuki said. “He has inspired a whole generation of young people, many of whom will go on and amplify Rob’s work. “I’ve always said, no movement should be utterly dependent on one or two individuals, but of course it takes one or two charismatic individuals to start a movement in the first place, and Rob was it.”

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