119-s2314

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2314 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2314

To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding 
 shark depredation, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 16, 2025

 Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding 
 shark depredation, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting the Health of Aquatic 
systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act of 2025'' 
or the ``SHARKED Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. SHARK DEPREDATION TASK FORCE AND RESEARCH PROJECTS.

    (a) Shark Depredation Task Force.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce shall establish 
 a task force (referred to in this subsection as the ``task 
 force'') to identify and address critical needs with respect to 
 shark depredation.

    (2) Membership.--The Secretary of Commerce shall appoint 
 individuals to the task force, including--
        (A) 1 representative from--
            (i) each Regional Fishery Management 
 Council established under 

section 302

    (a)

    (1) of 
 the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
 Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852

    (a)

    (1) );
            (ii) each Marine Fisheries Commission, as 
 such term is defined in 

section 3 of the 
 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
 Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802);
            (iii) the fish and wildlife agency of a 
 coastal State from each Regional Fishery 
 Management Council established under 

section 302

    (a)

    (1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
 Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
 1852

    (a)

    (1) ); and
            (iv) the National Marine Fisheries Service;
        (B) an individual with expertise in the management 
 of highly migratory species;
            (C) a researcher with expertise in shark management 
 and behavior; and
            (D) a researcher with expertise in shark ecology.

    (3) Responsibilities.--The task force shall--
        (A) develop ways to improve coordination and 
 communication across the fisheries management community 
 and shark research community to address shark 
 depredation;
        (B) identify research priorities and funding 
 opportunities for such priorities, including--
            (i) identifying shark species involved in 
 interactions;
            (ii) shark stock assessments;
            (iii) how sharks become habituated to 
 humans and thus lead to more interactions 
 between sharks and humans;
            (iv) how angler behavior and fishery 
 regulatory frameworks may influence shark 
 interactions;
            (v) techniques and strategies to reduce 
 harmful interactions between sharks and humans, 
 including the development and use of non-lethal 
 deterrents;
            (vi) the role of healthy shark populations 
 in the ocean food web; and
            (vii) climate change impacts on shifting 
 shark populations, prey, and shark behavior;
            (C) develop recommended management strategies to 
 address shark depredation; and
            (D) coordinate the development and distribution of 
 educational materials to help the fishing community 
 minimize shark interactions, including through changed 
 angler behavior and expectations.

    (4) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
 enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter until 
 the termination of the task force in accordance with paragraph

    (5) , the task force shall submit to Congress a report regarding 
 the findings of the task force.

    (5) Sunset.--The task force shall terminate not later than 
 7 years after the date on which the Secretary of Commerce 
 establishes the task force.

    (6) Coastal state defined.--In this subsection, the term 
 ``coastal State''--
        (A) means a State of the United States in, or 
 bordering on, the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic 
 Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Long Island Sound; and
        (B) includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the 
 United States, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
 Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.

    (b) Shark Depredation Research Projects.--

Section 318
            (c) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1867
            (c) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (6) Projects to better understand shark depredation, 
 including identifying what causes increases in shark 
 depredation and determining how to best address shark 
 depredation.''.
            (c) Effect.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect 
the authority and responsibility of the Secretary of Commerce in 
carrying out the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
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