Sec. 2. Shark depredation task force and research projects
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The Secretary of Commerce shall establish a task force (referred to in this subsection as the task force ) to identify and address critical needs with respect to shark depredation. The Secretary of Commerce shall appoint individuals to the task force, including— 1 representative 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) ); each Marine Fisheries Commission, as such term is defined in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1802 ); 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 the National Marine Fisheries Service; an individual with expertise in the management of highly migratory species; a researcher with expertise in shark management and behavior; and a researcher with expertise in shark ecology.
The task force shall— develop ways to improve coordination and communication across the fisheries management community and shark research community to address shark depredation; identify research priorities and funding opportunities for such priorities, including— identifying shark species involved in interactions; shark stock assessments; how sharks become habituated to humans and thus lead to more interactions between sharks and humans; how angler behavior and fishery regulatory frameworks may influence shark interactions; techniques and strategies to reduce harmful interactions between sharks and humans, including the development and use of non-lethal deterrents; the role of healthy shark populations in the ocean food web; and climate change impacts on shifting shark populations, prey, and shark behavior; develop recommended management strategies to address shark depredation; and coordinate the development and distribution of educational materials to help the fishing community minimize shark interactions including through changed angler behavior and expectations.
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 force in accordance with paragraph (5), the task force shall submit to Congress a report regarding the findings of the task force. The task force shall terminate not later than 7 years after the date on which the Secretary of Commerce establishes the task force. In this subsection, the term coastal State — 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 includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
Section 318(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1867(c) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: Projects to better understand shark depredation, including identifying what causes increases in shark depredation and determining how to best address shark depredation. . 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.
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