Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act

IIB 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 4051 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 6, 2024 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding shark depredation, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 HR 4051 RFS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting the Health 2 of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and En- 3 hanced Dialogue Act’’ or the ‘‘SHARKED Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. SHARK DEPREDATION TASK FORCE AND RESEARCH 5 PROJECTS. 6 (a) SHARK DEPREDATION TASK FORCE.— 7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce 8 shall establish a task force (referred to in this sub- 9 section as the ‘‘task force’’) to identify and address 10 critical needs with respect to shark depredation. 11 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary of Com- 12 merce shall appoint individuals to the task force, in- 13 cluding— 14 (A) 1 representative from— 15 (i) each Regional Fishery Manage- 16 ment Council established under section 17 302(a)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fish- 18 ery Conservation and Management Act (16 19 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)); 20 (ii) each Marine Fisheries Commis- 21 sion, as such term is defined in section 3 22 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con- 23 servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 24 1802); 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 HR 4051 RFS (iii) the fish and wildlife agency of a 1 coastal State from each Regional Fishery 2 Management Council established under 3 section 302(a)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens 4 Fishery Conservation and Management Act 5 (16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)); and 6 (iv) the National Marine Fisheries 7 Service; 8 (B) an individual with expertise in the 9 management of highly migratory species; 10 (C) a researcher with expertise in shark 11 management and behavior; and 12 (D) a researcher with expertise in shark 13 ecology. 14 (3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The task force shall— 15 (A) develop ways to improve coordination 16 and communication across the fisheries man- 17 agement community and shark research com- 18 munity to address shark depredation; 19 (B) identify research priorities and funding 20 opportunities for such priorities, including— 21 (i) identifying shark species involved 22 in interactions; 23 (ii) shark stock assessments; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 4 HR 4051 RFS (iii) how sharks become habituated to 1 humans and thus lead to more interactions 2 between sharks and humans; 3 (iv) how angler behavior and fishery 4 regulatory frameworks may influence shark 5 interactions; 6 (v) techniques and strategies to re- 7 duce harmful interactions between sharks 8 and humans, including the development 9 and use of non-lethal deterrents; 10 (vi) the role of healthy shark popu- 11 lations in the ocean food web; and 12 (vii) climate change impacts on shift- 13 ing shark populations, prey, and shark be- 14 havior; 15 (C) develop recommended management 16 strategies to address shark depredation; and 17 (D) coordinate the development and dis- 18 tribution of educational materials to help the 19 fishing community minimize shark interactions 20 including through changed angler behavior and 21 expectations. 22 (4) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 23 date of the enactment of this section, and every 2 24 years thereafter until the termination of the task 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 5 HR 4051 RFS force in accordance with paragraph (5), the task 1 force shall submit to Congress a report regarding 2 the findings of the task force. 3 (5) SUNSET.—The task force shall terminate 4 not later than 7 years after the date on which the 5 Secretary of Commerce establishes the task force. 6 (6) COASTAL STATE DEFINED.—In this sub- 7 section, the term ‘‘coastal State’’— 8 (A) means a State of the United States in, 9 or bordering on, the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific 10 Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Long 11 Island Sound; and 12 (B) includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Is- 13 lands of the United States, Guam, the Com- 14 monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 15 and American Samoa. 16 (b) SHARK DEPREDATION RESEARCH PROJECTS.— 17 Section 318(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con- 18 servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1867(c)) is 19 amended by adding at the end the following: 20 ‘‘(6) Projects to better understand shark depre- 21 dation, including identifying what causes increases 22 in shark depredation and determining how to best 23 address shark depredation.’’. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 6 HR 4051 RFS (c) EFFECT.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed 1 to affect the authority and responsibility of the Secretary 2 of Commerce in carrying out the Endangered Species Act 3 of 1973 or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 4 and Management Act. 5 Passed the House of Representatives February 5, 2024. Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, Clerk. VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:51 Feb 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4051.RFS H4051 ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS