When “Jaws” debuted in U.S. theaters 50 years ago today, it helped launch a new era in American movies. Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster about a bloodthirsty great white terrorizing a beach town also stoked fear and fascination, exacting a toll on sharks.

The toothy villain of “Jaws” terrified audiences in 1975. Offscreen, the hit film — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary — impacted sharks in unexpected ways.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat." It's been 50 years since Roy Scheider's Chief Brody uttered that famous line after getting a first glimpse of the deadly shark in Steven Spielberg's "Jaws." The film,