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-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting the Health 
of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and En-
hanced 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 sub-
section as the ‘‘task force’’) to identify and address 
critical needs with respect to shark depredation. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary of Com-
merce shall appoint individuals to the task force, in-
cluding— 
(A) 1 representative from— 
(i) each Regional Fishery Manage-
ment Council established under section 
302(a)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fish-
ery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)); 
(ii) each Marine Fisheries Commis-
sion, as such term is defined in section 3 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1802); 
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(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 man-
agement community and shark research com-
munity 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; 
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(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 re-
duce harmful interactions between sharks 
and humans, including the development 
and use of non-lethal deterrents; 
(vi) the role of healthy shark popu-
lations in the ocean food web; and 
(vii) climate change impacts on shift-
ing shark populations, prey, and shark be-
havior; 
(C) develop recommended management 
strategies to address shark depredation; and 
(D) coordinate the development and dis-
tribution 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 
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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 sub-
section, 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 Is-
lands of the United States, Guam, the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
and American Samoa. 
(b) SHARK DEPREDATION RESEARCH PROJECTS.— 
Section 318(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1867(c)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) Projects to better understand shark depre-
dation, including identifying what causes increases 
in shark depredation and determining how to best 
address shark depredation.’’. 
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(c) EFFECT.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to affect the authority and responsibility of the Secretary 
of Commerce in carrying out the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 5, 
2024. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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