H.R. 207 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jan 21, 2025. Received Jan 22, 2025; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryTask force studies sharks eating hooked fish
This bill creates a task force within the Department of Commerce to figure out how to deal with shark depredation—that's when a shark eats or damages a fish that's already hooked on a fishing line. The task force will bring together fisheries managers, shark researchers, and state wildlife agencies to share information, identify research needs, develop strategies to reduce the problem, and create educational materials. They'll report back to Congress every two years for seven years.
How it affects you
Commercial and recreational fishers who lose catches to sharks are the ones directly affected by this task force's work. If the task force develops solutions, it could help fishers keep more of what they catch and reduce frustration from shark interference. For most other people, this has no direct day-to-day impact.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jan 3, 2025)
Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act of 2025 or the SHARKED Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Commerce to establish a task force to address and report to Congress about critical needs with respect to shark depredation. (Shark depredation is the partial or complete removal of a hooked fish by a shark directly from a fishing line before the line is retrieved.)
The duties of the task force are, among other responsibilities, to (1) develop ways to improve coordination and communication across the fisheries management and shark research communities; (2) identify research priorities and funding opportunities; (3) develop recommended management strategies to address shark depredation; and (4) coordinate the development and distribution of educational materials.
The bill specifies that the task force must include representatives of each Regional Fishery Management Council, each Marine Fisheries Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies of coastal states, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The task force must also include researchers and others with relevant expertise.
The task force must report its findings to Congress within two years after the bill's enactment and every two years thereafter until the task force is terminated. The task force sunsets within seven years after the date of its establishment.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 207
AN ACT
SHARKED Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-VA-1) · Introduced Jan 3, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jan 22, 2025: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 3 official versions.