SHARKED Act of 2025
New Task Force to Study Sharks Eating Fishermen's Catches
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Senators from Florida and Hawaii, creates a new task force to address the growing problem of sharks eating or damaging fish that have already been caught by fishermen. This issue, often called depredation, leads to lost income for commercial fishers and frustration for recreational anglers.
- The group will include government officials, state wildlife experts, and shark scientists. They will work together to find out why sharks are increasingly targeting fishing lines and how factors like climate change and human behavior play a role in these interactions.
- A major focus of the group will be finding non-lethal ways to keep sharks away from fishing gear. They will also look into how to better manage shark populations to keep the ocean's food web healthy while protecting the fishing industry's livelihoods.
- Over the next seven years, the task force will provide regular reports to Congress and create educational materials for the public. These guides will teach fishermen new techniques and behaviors to avoid shark encounters and protect their catch without harming the sharks.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 349.
The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-114.
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 on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
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.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
SHARKED Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(2)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.