@alliegatorr1: A proposed federal bill affecting Florida waters, known as the Safe Seas Act, would prohibit attracting sharks with bait for activities such as diving, photography, observation, education, ecotourism, and many forms of research in federal waters off Florida. Supporters argue the bill will: • Reduce shark-human interactions • Prevent sharks from becoming “human-conditioned” • Promote shark conservation • Reduce depredation (sharks taking hooked fish from anglers) At first glance, that may sound reasonable. But here’s where the bill becomes difficult to justify: There is currently NO conclusive scientific evidence showing that regulated shark diving increases the risk of shark attacks on humans or causes long-term behavioral changes in shark populations. There is also currently no conclusive evidence that shark-diving operations are driving depredation. Instead, what researchers have suggested is that fishing activity itself may contribute to sharks associating boats with food. Furthermore, research identified discarded bait and fishing waste as major attractants for sharks near shorelines. Yet fishing practices remain untouched by this bill. Shark baiting for diving is already prohibited in Florida state waters (within 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic coast and 9 nautical miles on the Gulf coast). Existing regulations already balance limiting these activities near beaches and heavily used swimming areas while allowing regulated operations farther offshore. If the concern were truly public safety, the logical primary focus would be on activities that bring bait and fish waste into areas where people regularly swim, not highly regulated shark-diving operations occurring miles offshore. Shark diving is more than tourism. It supports research, tagging programs, population monitoring, public education, conservation funding, and scientific understanding of these animals. This bill threatens all of that. Whether you support shark diving or not, legislation should be based on evidence, consistency, and sound science. If you agree, please take a moment to sign the petition at stophr3831.org #SaveSharkDiving #SharkConservation #Florida #ScubaDiving #OceanConservation

Allie 🤿🌊🐬

Open In TikTok:

Region: US

Sunday 14 June 2026 18:01:50 GMT