Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025
Shark Feeding: Ban in Florida Federal Waters
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill would make it illegal to feed sharks in federal waters off the coast of Florida. It updates a major fishing law to include Florida in a ban that already exists for Hawaii.
- This affects tour boat operators, divers, and fishers who use food to attract sharks for tourism or photography. People caught feeding sharks in these areas could face federal penalties or fines.
- Supporters of these bans usually argue that feeding sharks changes their natural behavior and makes them associate humans with food. This can lead to more dangerous encounters between sharks and people in popular swimming or diving areas.
- The ban applies to the "exclusive economic zone," which generally starts several miles offshore and extends out to 200 miles. Florida already has state laws against shark feeding closer to shore, so this would close the gap in federal waters.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(5)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.