Supporting the Health of Aquatic Systems Through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4051) to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding shark depredation, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4051
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'' or the ``SHARKED Act''. 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 the 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 Act shall be construed to affect the authority and responsibility of the Secretary of Commerce in carrying out the Endangered Species Act of 1973 or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. 4051, the bill now under consideration.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4051, sponsored by my friend and colleague, Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia.
Concerns over shark depredation are increasingly common. From fishermen in the Florida Keys and throughout the Gulf of Mexico whose prized snapper or grouper catch was eaten by a shark, to charter boat captains in North Carolina's Outer Banks fishing offshore, shark interactions can be frustrating for anglers as they result in loss of catch, damaged gear, and degraded fishing experiences, and may also impact the post-release survival of target fish.
While the number of reports of depredation have increased, the underlying cause of the increase remains uncertain. It could be due to an increase in the number of sharks, as stocks rebuild, or learned behavior by sharks as they recognize motors, fishing techniques, or shark-feeding locations as a source of food.
We simply do not have enough information.
To make matters worse, shark depredation touches on many Federal and State jurisdictions, but because no single entity has a responsibility to address it, very little is being done.
H.R. 4051 would require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force to address shark depredation.
The task force membership would include representatives from Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Marine Fisheries Commissions, the State fish and wildlife agencies from the States within the Regional Fishery Management Councils, NOAA, and shark experts from the Fisheries Service, and non-Federal experts.
During committee consideration of this legislation, the minority worked closely with two of the bill's sponsors, Mr. Wittman and Mr. Graves, to make modest changes by including more engagement with the scientific community engaged in shark research and clarifying that the findings and work done by the task force do not impact the Secretary of Commerce's responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act or the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The legislation will help the Federal Government further understand, identify, and address critical needs as they relate to shark depredation.
I applaud Mr. Wittman for his work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have experienced what Mr. Wittman was talking about; you know, excited to be reeling in a fish, and you get it to the boat, and you maybe have a couple of lips and an eyeball and part of a gill. That is all that is left. I don't get to fish offshore that much, but I can tell you it can be disappointing, and that is why it is important to do this research.
I appreciate the gentleman bringing the bill before us.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am sure living in Florida you have probably stood on the edge of a boat and asked that question: Why? Why did a shark eat my fish? What was it that motivated it? Is it because there are too many sharks? Is it something I did? It leaves you with this empty feeling.
This legislation is here to answer that question. It is simple legislation. It creates a task force that would be responsible for improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community on shark depredation, as well as identifying research priorities and funding opportunities.
Again, I commend Congressman Wittman for his tireless work on fisheries issues and for his work on this bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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