[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 20 (Monday, February 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H400-H403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SUPPORTING THE HEALTH OF AQUATIC SYSTEMS THROUGH RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE AND 
                         ENHANCED DIALOGUE ACT

  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

[[Page H401]]

     of the Secretary of Commerce in carrying out the Endangered 
     Species Act of 1973 or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
     Conservation and Management Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
Dingell) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4051, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  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.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4051, the SHARKED Act, would establish a new task 
force led by the National Marine Fisheries Service to identify shark 
conservation needs and depredation research.
  Sharks are critical to healthy ocean ecosystems.
  As the apex predators of the ocean, they help shape marine food webs 
and are a key indicator of ocean health.
  Many shark species are, unfortunately, also threatened or endangered.
  Oceanic sharks and rays have declined by 71 percent since 1970, and 
three-quarters of these wide-ranging species are threatened.
  While some shark populations are recovering, scientists predict that 
nearly 100 million sharks are still killed each year, and current 
levels of fishing pressure will cause the majority of shark populations 
to continue declining.
  According to the IUCN, half of the coastal sharks and rays are 
threatened with extinction, primarily due to overfishing.
  A fundamental lack of understanding of shark biology and ecological 
importance, combined with fear, was partially responsible for dramatic 
increases in the recreational harvest of sharks in the United States in 
the 1970s and the 1980s.
  Any effort to address shark depredation, therefore, needs to be 
considered in light of recovering shark populations and the threats 
that sharks face from heightened fishing pressure and climate change.
  Through the committee process, we have been able to significantly 
improve this legislation. However, I recognize there are still some 
legitimate concerns about whether this legislation goes far enough to 
ensure good outcomes for shark populations and is not a slippery slope 
towards increasing shark harvests.

  I am grateful that the majority worked with us to amend the original 
bill text, ensuring that the focus is placed on changing angler 
behavior and managing expectations, as well as building out the 
scientific understanding of shark ecology and the impacts of climate 
change on predators and prey in the ocean.
  Recently, Australian researchers found that the use of non-lethal 
deterrents and simple changes in angler behavior are proven to reduce 
the probability of sharks taking fish by 65 percent.
  NOAA has funded similar studies in the United States but admitted in 
the legislative hearing on this bill that depredation research is 
complex and requires sustained investment due to the high intelligence 
and adaptability of sharks.
  Notably, this bill doesn't include funding. Without it, NOAA will be 
unable to fund much more than what they are currently doing to address 
shark conservation and depredation.
  I hope my colleagues who support this bill will also work with us to 
ensure robust funding for shark conservation priorities, like increased 
shark stock assessments.
  This bill should promote greater collaboration between the fishing 
community and shark researchers to reduce risks to sharks and humans 
from depredation events and build out our understanding of the 
importance of sharks and how to conserve them.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the bill's sponsor.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support 
for the SHARKED Act, signed by 123 companies and organizations, 
including the American Sportfishing Association.
                                               September 20, 2023.
     Hon. Rob Wittman,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Garret Graves,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Darren Soto,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Marc Veasey,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Wittman, Soto, Graves and Veasey: As 
     businesses that have experienced the negative impacts of 
     shark depredation, we are writing to express our support for 
     the Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through 
     Research, Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue (SHARKED) Act. 
     Collectively we represent charter captains, tackle shop 
     owners, equipment manufacturers, and other sportfishing-
     related business leaders. Saltwater recreational fishing is a 
     major economic driver in coastal communities throughout the 
     country, with more than 13 million saltwater anglers 
     supporting 595,000 jobs and generating $98 billion in sales 
     every year.
       This bill brings focus to the increasing challenge of shark 
     depredation, which negatively impacts fishing experiences, 
     risks the safety of sharks and humans and threatens the 
     sustainability of fish populations.
       Shark depredation occurs when a shark eats or damages a 
     hooked fish before an angler can reel in their catch. In 
     general, the possibility of depredation occurring is accepted 
     as a natural part of fishing. However, in recent years the 
     frequency of shark depredation has increased rapidly in many 
     parts of the country, likely due to increasing fishing 
     activity, increasing shark abundance and depredation becoming 
     a more frequently learned behavior.
       As some of the nation's leading conservationists, 
     recreational fishermen firmly believe that safeguarding our 
     marine ecosystem is of utmost importance. Sharks play a vital 
     role in maintaining balance in the marine ecosystem. However, 
     shark depredation is escalating to a level that is 
     detrimental to all involved, exposing sharks to potentially 
     harmful fishing gear and putting anglers in dangerously close 
     proximity to these apex predators. As the rate of shark

[[Page H402]]

     depredation has increased, fishermen have become increasingly 
     frustrated by the issue and a lack of response from the 
     fisheries management community. It is a complex issue with no 
     simple solution, but there are policy, research, management 
     and education tactics that warrant exploration to help 
     mitigate the issue. Shark depredation touches on many federal 
     and state jurisdictions. Unfortunately, because no single 
     entity has responsibility to address it, very little is being 
     done.
       The SHARKED Act would establish 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. This bill would be a critical first 
     step toward addressing shark depredation nationally and 
     establishing foundational knowledge that can be used to 
     improve future management, education and research actions.
       By implementing efforts to minimize interactions between 
     sharks and anglers, the SHARKED Act will advance conservation 
     for the benefit of sharks, anglers, fisheries and the 
     economy. We are grateful for your support of this bill and 
     for providing a voice to the recreational fishing industry.
           Sincerely,
       Carl Abissi, National Manager, Dexter Outdoors, 
     Southbridge, MA; Steve Atkinson, President, Virginia 
     Saltwater Sportfishing Association, Midlothian, VA; Hunter 
     Avery, Key Accounts Manager, Jones and Company, Stuart, FL; 
     Eric L Bachnik, President, L&S Bait Company, Largo, FL; Will 
     Benson, Owner, World Angling, Key West, FL; Gregory Bogdan, 
     Owner/Captain, Permitted, Inc., North Palm Beach, FL; Bryan 
     Boyle, Captain, Dedicated, LLC.; Jupiter, FL.
       Scott Brown, Owner, Push it Good Inshore Fishing Charters, 
     Destin, FL; Tad Burke, Captain, The Wild Side Guides, 
     Tavernier, FL; Brandon Carter, Owner, Fathom Offshore, 
     Wilmington, NC; Nicholas Castillo, Captain, Castillo 
     Charters, LLC., Islamorada, FL; John Chauvin, Sr., Owner. 
     Fin-tastic Charters, Grand Isle, LA; Louis Chemi, Vice 
     President. Freedom Boat Club, Venice, FL; Dennis Clark, 
     Owner, Frontier Sales and Marketing Group, LLC., Katy, TX.
       Eric Cosby, Vice President, Top Brass Tackle, Starkville, 
     MS; John Crews, President/Owner, Missile Baits, Salem, VA; 
     Mike Cyr, Captain, C Hawk Charters, Key West, FL; Bill 
     Dantuono, Owner, Offshore Naples, Naples, FL; Adam Debruin, 
     Captain, Red Hook Fishing, Tavernier, FL; Mike Delzingo, 
     Owner, Fishbucket Sportfishing, Boston, MA; GW De Pauw, 
     Captain, Captain GW Guide Service, Tavernier, FL.
       Joe Diebold, Outfitter, Bass Pro, Apollo Beach, FL; Paul 
     Diggins, Owner/Captain, Reel Pursuit Charters, Charlestown, 
     MA; Michael Dixon, Vice President, Engel Coolers, Jupiter, 
     FL; Robert Dufek, Sales Manager, Shimano, Ladson, SC; Aaron 
     Dykes, CEO & Captain, Triple D Charters, Tavernier, FL; 
     Brian Esposito, President, Skiff Guide Charter Service, 
     Hollywood, FL; Drue Eymann, Owner/Captain, Keys on The 
     Fly, LLC., Key West, FL.
       Bill Falconer, President/CEO, Anglers Resource, Foley, AL; 
     Richard Fischer, Executive Director, Louisiana Charter Boat 
     Association, Metairie, LA; Tammy Foshee, OEM Manager, GSM 
     Outdoors, Georgetown, GA; Thomas Fote, Legislative Chairman, 
     Jersey Coast Anglers Association, Toms River, NJ; Steve 
     Friedman, Owner, A Fishing Guide, LLC., Islamorada, FL; 
     Patrick Gill, CEO. TackleDirect, Egg Harbor Township, NJ; 
     Austin Glassman, Captain, Gladesman Charters, Tavernier, FL.
       Alan Gnann, President, REC Components, Stafford Springs, 
     CT; Lain Goodwin, Owner/Captain, Dirty Waters Charters, Inc., 
     Key Largo, FL; Scott Gregg, Captain/Owner, Wreckless Sport 
     Fishing, Mechanicsville, VA; Mike Guerin, Owner, Capt. 
     Michael Guerin, Big Pine Key, FL; Chris Hanson, Owner, Scales 
     2 Tales, LLC., Key Largo, FL; Jim Hardin, Government 
     Relations Manager, Grady-White Boats, Inc., Greenville, NC; 
     Richard Hastings, Captain, Capt. Rich Hastings, Islamorada, 
     FL.
       Gary Hayes, Owner/Captain, Sunrise South Charter Fishing, 
     Dulac, LA; Patrick Healey, President/CEO, Viking Yacht Co., 
     New Gretna, NJ; Mark Hlis, Owner, Flamingo Charters, 
     Islamorada, FL; Barry Hoffman, Captain, flatsguide.com, 
     Tavernier, FL; Mike Holliday, Captain, Fish Tail Guide 
     Service, Stuart, FL; Houston Hoover, Captain, Gene's Fishing 
     Charters, Gonzales, LA; Dylan Hubbard, Owner/Captain/VP, 
     Hubbard's Marina, Madeira Beach, FL.
       Dylan Hubbard, President, Florida Guides Association, 
     Madeira Beach, FL; Buddy Hughes, CEO, Bates Fishing Co., 
     Celina, TX; Robbie Hunziker, Owner, RH Marine, Parrish, FL; 
     Steven Impallomeni, Owner/Captain, Gallopin Ghost Charters, 
     Summerland Key, FL; Rich Johnson, Owner/Operator, Scotty J's 
     Charters, Clearwater, FL; Luke Kelly, Captain, Key Flat 
     Charters, Summerland Key, FL; Doug Kilpatrick, Owner, Capt 
     Doug Kilpatrick Inc, Sugarloaf Key, FL.
       Frank-Paul King, President, Temple Fork, Dallas, TX; Luke 
     Krenik, Captain, LVKFL, LLC, Key Largo, Florida; Steve 
     Lavoie, Captain, Capt Lavoie, Tavernier, FL; Mike Leonard, 
     Vice President of Government Affairs, American Sportfishing 
     Association, Alexandria, VA; Phillip Lillo, President, Don 
     Coffey Company, Orlando, FL; Patrick Lynch, CEO, Bionic Bait, 
     Pompano Beach, FL; Putnam Maclean, Captain, Eagle Eye Fishing 
     Co., Marshfield, MA.
       Gary Maier, Chief Design Officer, DroneFisher Tackle, 
     Tomball, TX; Michael Manis, Owner/Captain, Punta Gorda Fly 
     Charters, Punta Gorda, FL; Spencer Marchant, Senior Manager, 
     Don Coffey Company, Jupiter, FL; Colby Mason, Mate, Kalex, 
     Islamorada, FL; Chase Masters, Owner, The Chase Fishing 
     Charters, Islamorada, FL; Will McCabe, Captain, Will McCabe 
     Charters, Islamorada, FL; James McGrath, President, Grand 
     Slam Tackle, Riviera Beach, FL.
       Daniel Medina, Captain, Salty Fishing Charters, Cape Coral, 
     FL; Andy Mezirow, Owner, Gray Light Fisheries, LLC, Seward, 
     AK; Daniel Miers, Owner/President, King Sailfish Mounts, Fort 
     Lauderdale, FL; Tom Morgan, Captain, Flying Thief Charters, 
     Big Pine Key, FL; Patrick Neukam, Owner, Offshore Addict 
     Charters, Madeira Beach, FL; Andrew Nobregas, Captain, Fishy 
     Business Charters, Tavernier, FL; Daniel Nussbaum, President, 
     Z-Man Fishing Products, Inc., Ladson, SC.
       Frank Ortiz, Owner, Capt. Frank Ortiz, Key Largo, FL; 
     William Pappas, Owner/Operator, Playin Hookey Charters, 
     Virginia Beach, VA; Jason Parker, Captain, Reel Steel 
     Fishing, Ocean City, MD; Donald Patnaude, President, Jones & 
     Company, Stuart, FL; Cheryl Pawlak, President, Aquatic 
     Nutrition, Inc., Eustis, FL; David Peck, Captain, Skiligal 
     Charters LLC, Nags Head, NC; Michael Pierdinock, Owner/
     Captain, CPF Charters, Plymouth, MA.
       Greg Poland, Owner/Captain, Capt. Greg Poland Inc, 
     Islamorada, FL; Matt Ponzio, Captain, Smoking Reels Charters, 
     Fort Myers, FL; Victor Porter, Owner, Chief Charter Fishing, 
     Islamorada, FL; Jason Prieto, President, Steady Action 
     Fishing Charters, Ruskin, FL; Thomas Putnam, President, Half 
     Hitch Tackle, Panama City, FL; Kellie Ralston, Vice President 
     for Conservation and Public Policy, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, 
     Tallahassee, FL; Sean Rice, Owner, Lawless Lures, Grenada, 
     MS; Olden Rodrigue, Owner, Coastal Charter Services LLC, 
     Montegut, LA.
       Joe Rodriguez, Captain, Fishing Guide Fla keys, Summerland 
     Key, FL; Paul Sabayrac, Owner & Captain, Goin' Raptor 
     Fishing, Juno Beach, FL; Amanda Sabin, VP Marketing, 
     Contender Boats, Ormond Beach, FL; Jonathan Schrier, Owner/
     Operator, Shake Your Tail Feather, LLC., Marathon, FL; Peter 
     Schulz, President, Schulz Brothers Fishing Headquarters, 
     Jupiter, FL; Perry Scuderi, Owner/Operator, P.S. Fishing 
     Inc., Islamorada, FL; Robert Shamblin, Vice President, JL 
     Marine Systems, Inc., Valrico, FL.
       Anthony Solmo, Owner, Got `Em on Sportfishing Charters, Key 
     West, FL; Ron Stallings, PR/Marketing, TTI-Blakemore, 
     Wetumpka, AL; Brandon Storin, Owner, Bean Sportfishing LLC, 
     Islamorada, FL; Gary Stuve, Captain, Native Guide Jupiter, 
     Jupiter, FL; Larry Sydnor, Captain, Capt. Larry Sydnor, 
     Islamorada, FL; Andrew Tipler, Owner/Captain, Last Cast 
     Charters, Cudjoe Key, FL.
       Georgios Toris, Owner, Salta Americas, Inc, West Palm 
     Beach, FL; Chris Trosset, Owner/Operator, Reel Fly Charters, 
     Key West, FL; Brandon Vaughan, Owner, Salty Dog Charters, 
     LLC, St. Petersburg, FL; Russ Walker, Owner/Captain, Tide 
     Walker Charters, Cape Coral, FL; William Walsh, Captain, PJ's 
     Enterprises, Tavernier, FL; Jeff Watkins, Owner, Anchors Away 
     Charters, Port Charlotte, FL.
       Ashley Weber, President/Owner, Ashley Weber Art, Inc., 
     Rockledge, FL; Leonard Weinbaum, Owner, L. W. Fine Arts, 
     Keystone Heights, FL; Nathan Weinbaum, President, 
     KeysXplorer, Islamorada, FL; Bryan Williams, Sales 
     Representative, Shimano, Wilmington, NC; Holly Williams, 
     President/CEO, Cablz, Birmingham, AL; Chris Wilson, Owner, 
     Rivers End Outfitters, LLC, Belle Chasse, LA.
       Edward Wilson, Owner/Operator, Captain Ted Wilson Charter 
     Fishing, Islamorada, FL; Jerry Winton, National Sales 
     Manager, Winton Electronics, Manasquan, NJ; Billy Wood, 
     Captain, Mine Time LLC, Key Largo, FL; Shane Wood, Owner, 
     Shane Wood Charters, Sugarloaf Key, FL; Alex Zapata, Owner, 
     Silver King Charters, Miami, FL; Ed Zyak, Captain, Captain Ed 
     Zyak Fishing, Jensen Beach, FL.

  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support of my bill, 
H.R. 4051, the Supporting the Health of Aquatic Systems through 
Research Knowledge, and Enhanced Dialogue Act, also known as the 
SHARKED Act.
  Picture this: A charter boat fisherman takes a group of excited 
anglers 90 miles off the coast in hopes of reeling in a yellow fin 
tuna, a snapper, or grouper, or even ensure reeling in a tarpon.
  One of the individuals hooks the first fish and starts to fight to 
reel it in. However, before the fish ever gets to the boat, sharks have 
completely consumed the fish, all the way up to the gill plates.
  This phenomenon is called depredation, which occurs when sharks 
interfere with fishing activities.
  Shark depredation is accepted as a natural part of fishing, but it 
has become a widespread issue in our waters and has increased rapidly 
in recent years.
  During the House Natural Resources Committee hearing for the SHARKED

[[Page H403]]

Act, we heard from experts discussing the impact of this phenomenon.
  According to the American Sportfishing Association, 52.4 million 
people went fishing in the United States, supporting 826,000 jobs and 
contributing $129 billion to the economy.
  The American Sportfishing Association also found that 87 percent of 
charter guides surveyed said they experienced depredation with clients, 
resulting in negative impacts on their businesses.
  Anglers are losing their catch and tackle to sharks at alarming 
rates, and they are understandably becoming increasingly frustrated by 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduced the SHARKED Act to study this issue, 
evaluate how we can improve sportfishing conditions for anglers while 
protecting sharks.
  This bill establishes a fisheries management task force to focus on 
identifying research opportunities, recommending management strategies, 
and developing educational materials for fishermen.

                              {time}  1645

  This legislation will help fishermen understand which species of 
sharks have higher rates of depredation and where you are most likely 
to run into that species.
  It will serve first as a major step in improving communication and 
coordination among fisheries managers in addressing shark depredation 
nationwide.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to passing this bill through the 
committee and further consideration on the floor, which is where we are 
today. It has been a great process.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am 
prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  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.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. 
Graves), who is quite the fisherman himself.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, nothing ruins a great day like 
the tax man. Nothing ruins a great day like the tax man, and I am not 
talking about the IRS. I am talking about when you are out there 
fishing, and you have this big shark that just comes up and takes your 
catch.
  You have great fishermen like Mr. Wittman and Mr. Westerman, and 
maybe it is not that big of a deal; your next cast you are going catch 
another one. But you have people out there who don't know what they are 
doing, like Mr. Joyce of Ohio; it is a whole other thing. You just 
ruined his day.
  What happens is--as Mr. Wittman clearly laid out--you will be out 
there, and you may be on a red snapper, you may be out there in some 
mangrove, and you are just catching fish; that is dinner.
  This is an amazing experience. As Mr. Wittman noted, this is about 
economic activity all across the coastal United States. One of the 
biggest gaps, one of the biggest voids in our ability to properly 
manage fisheries is knowing more, knowing better about the impact of 
this apex predator, the shark.
  I want to be very clear. This bill is not about culling species. It 
is not about killing sharks. What it is about is simply ensuring that 
we have the right data, that we have the right understanding to build 
properly managed fisheries, and to be able to ensure we can promote 
avoidance techniques to prevent this depredation from occurring.
  I thank the gentleman from Virginia, who is an expert in this field, 
Mr. Wittman, and I thank Mr. Soto and Mr. Veasey, some of the 
cosponsors on this legislation, for their support, but this is all 
about improving the accuracy of fish management.
  It benefits recreational fisheries, it benefits commercial fisheries, 
and, most importantly, Mr. Speaker, it benefits the sustainable 
fisheries, the sustainable stocks of some of these important areas like 
the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and other areas.
  Again, I thank my friend from Virginia for his hard work on this 
legislation. I thank Chairman Westerman for working with us and some of 
the great staff on his team, Vivian and Sandra. I thank Anderson on our 
staff, as well as Rachel on Ranking Member Grijalva's staff for their 
work in coming together to make sure that we have the right balance 
here.
  This is all about ensuring that for generations to come that our 
children and our grandchildren can enjoy the same experiences that we 
have for many, many years.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation.
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I am 
prepared to close, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  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.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4051, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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