SHARKED Act in Senate Committee- Act Now

September 1, 2025

Reintroduced into the House in spring 2024, the Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act of 2025 is supported by the recreational fishing industry and lobby bemoaning shark depredation on their catch. The bill could could have serious impacts on shark populations in all US waters. While ostensibly having Congress create a task force to examine shark depredation and human interactions, it has the potential to open protected areas or fishing for sharks. Without little scientific merit or credible support, the SHARKED Act language is a thinly veiled approach to open fishing on protected species and green-light shark culls, tournaments and sportfishing for sharks in US waters.

Read more about the SHARKED Act.

We demand the US Representatives of coastal communities in the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific, and specifically the Senate when considering a task force under the SHARKED Act, to include the scientific, indigenous and conservation community to support research, balancing sound science and conservation.

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Regarding the SHARKED Act S. 2314

To: [Congressman’s Name], U.S. House of Representatives
From: Concerned Citizens, Scientists, and Ocean Advocates

We, the undersigned, express our deep concerns regarding the potential consequences of the Supporting Healthy Aquatic Resources and Key Ecological Decision-making (SHARKED) Act unless addressed in the language of the Bill. While we recognize the importance of addressing fishermen’s concerns about shark depredation, we are alarmed at the possibility that the Act could lead to misguided management approaches, including culling or targeted fishing of sharks, without adequate scientific review.

Our concerns and requests are as follows:

  1. Scientific Stock Assessments Before Management Changes
    • Congress and any advisory body formed under the SHARKED Act must require the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to perform thorough, peer-reviewed stock assessments of any shark species considered for altered management.
    • Many shark populations are already depleted; for example, shortfin mako sharks are protected on the U.S. East Coast and great hammerhead sharks wheredepredation concerns have been identified are listed as critically endangered. Any management decision that could increase mortality must be based on the best available science.
  2. Unbiased Surveys and Data on Depredation
    • Current accounts of shark depredation are largely anecdotal and regionally concentrated, especially in Florida.
    • We call for unbiased, independent surveys and representative studies across multiple regions, not limited to one state, to determine the true scope and scale of depredation.
  3. Balanced Representation on Advisory Committees
    • If the Act establishes an advisory committee, scientists and shark conservation specialists must be given equal representation alongside fishing interests.
    • A science-based process will ensure decisions reflect both ecological realities and stakeholder concerns.
  4. Ecological and Economic Benefits of Sharks
    • Sharks are critical apex predators that regulate marine ecosystems, maintain fish population balance, and support the long-term health of fisheries.
    • Beyond ecology, healthy shark populations support tourism and diving industries worth over a billion globally and one study identified they are worth 221 million dollars in Florida each year, providing sustainable economic benefits far greater than short-term fishing gains.
  5. Global and National Responsibilities
    • Sharks face unprecedented global threats from overfishing, bycatch, and the fin trade. The United States must lead with a precautionary approach, ensuring that depredation concerns do not open the door to widespread shark culling or targeted fisheries that would undermine decades of conservation progress.

Therefore, we respectfully urge you and your colleagues to:

  • Ensure that any management action under the SHARKED Act is grounded in independent, peer-reviewed science.
  • Mandate stock assessments before changes to shark management are considered.
  • Require equal representation of scientists and conservation experts on advisory committees.
  • Safeguard endangered and threatened shark species under federal protections.
  • Adopt a precautionary approach that prioritizes ecosystem health and long-term economic benefits over reactionary measures.

By strengthening the SHARKED Act with these safeguards, Congress can address fishermen’s concerns without jeopardizing vulnerable shark populations, marine ecosystems, and sustainable coastal economies.

Respectfully,
[Signatures / Organizations]

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