Political Quotes

“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.…”