Political Quotes

“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.…”