The blue shark is threatened mainly by commercial fishing. In addition to accidental catches, it is mainly from this species that fins are collected for sale on the Asian market (used in shark fin soups). In the Azores, especially in the islands of Pico and Faial, it was discovered that the observation of this species in its habitat is much more profitable than its capture.
In the photo, you can see a Great White shark, a species that also inhabits the Azores.
(*) Swimming with sharks is a dangerous activity! Although they show a “slow” appearance, blue sharks (and most of these species) are extremely fast. They are in their natural habitat and are top predators, so this activity should occur under professional supervision.