House Passes Webster’s Florida Safe Seas Act

"As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to the responsible stewardship of our marine ecosystems and the safety of our waters," said Rep. Webster. "The Florida Safe Seas Act takes a commonsense step to help protect swimmers, anglers, beachgoers, and visitors by prohibiting shark feeding in federal waters off Florida's coast. This legislation mirrors longstanding Florida law, promotes responsible conservation of marine wildlife, and helps prevent interactions that place Floridians and visitors at risk."

"Florida's waters are among the nation's greatest destinations for recreation and outdoor adventure. H.R. 3831 aligns federal waters off Florida's coast with state law by prohibiting shark feeding, helping reduce dangerous human-shark interactions and improving public safety. I appreciate Rep. Webster's efforts to promote safer waters for anglers, boaters and beachgoers across Florida," said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR).

The Florida Safe Seas Act prohibits shark feeding in the exclusive economic zone off the State of Florida, aligning federal law with Florida's longstanding prohibition on the hand feeding of sharks. Federal law already prohibits shark feeding in the exclusive economic zones surrounding Hawaii and several U.S. Pacific territories. The bill extends the same prohibition to federal waters off Florida's coast to promote public safety and responsible wildlife stewardship.

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