Sponsors (6)
The bill shifts clearer authority to states to authorize some shark-feeding activities while retaining limited federal oversight, trading increased local control and potential tourism benefits for risks to public safety, shark conservation, and legal clarity.
State governments can explicitly authorize certain shark-feeding activities in their waters, giving states clearer statutory authority to manage those activities locally.
The Secretary (NMFS) retains specified regulatory authority to set limits, preserving a federal role to restrict or oversee shark-feeding where the Secretary determines it necessary.
Beachgoers, coastal residents, and marine-tourism participants in states that adopt laxer rules could face increased safety risks from more frequent or closer shark-feeding activities.
Shark populations and related marine ecosystems may suffer if a broader 'States' exception results in uneven protections and riskier feeding practices across jurisdictions.
Fishermen, tour operators, and regulators face legal uncertainty because ambiguous inserted language leaves unclear exactly what feeding activities are permitted.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Broadens a federal shark-feeding exception by changing "the State" to "the States" and inserts unspecified additional language into 16 U.S.C. § 1866.
Amends the federal shark-feeding prohibition by changing a statutory exception from applying to "the State" to applying to "the States" and by adding unspecified new text after the existing provision. The change to plural language appears to broaden the scope of the existing exception so that multiple states — not a single state — can be the basis for permitted shark-feeding activities, but the bill text provided does not show the inserted language, leaving the full effect unclear.
Official title: Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025
Introduced June 6, 2025 by Daniel A. Webster · Last progress June 3, 2026