SHARKED Act of 2025
SHARKED Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# SHARKED Act of 2025 Summary **What the Bill Does** The SHARKED Act requires the Department of Commerce to create a task force focused on "shark depredation"—when sharks bite and steal fish that anglers have already hooked on their fishing lines. The task force would study this problem, recommend solutions, improve communication between fishing and shark research communities, identify research priorities, and create educational materials to help fishers deal with sharks. **Who It Affects** This bill primarily impacts commercial and recreational fishers who experience losses when sharks take their catch, as well as marine scientists and fisheries managers.
It also indirectly affects shark conservation efforts, as understanding shark behavior and depredation patterns could inform broader ocean management policies. **Key Provisions** The task force must include representatives from regional fishing councils, state marine agencies, and wildlife departments. It will develop management strategies to reduce shark depredation, coordinate research funding, and share best practices with the fishing community through educational materials. **Current Status** The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is pending action in the Senate.
CRS Official Summary
Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act of 2025 or the SHARKED Act of 2025This 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.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.