The Issue
This Bill Doesn’t Protect Sharks, Oceans or Increase Safety — It Hurts Them All!
The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025, H.R. 3831 sounds like it’s about safety.
It’s not.
This bill targets responsible shark diving ecotourism—while leaving the primary sources of shark harm in Florida untouched.
This bill bans shark diving operators from using bait (chumming) to attract sharks—while still allowing fishing vessels to use the exact same method to catch and kill them.
Same activity. Completely different outcome.
Why This Matters
- Shark diving has operated safely for decades, more than 3 nautical miles offshore—far from beaches.
- Fewer than 10 shark diving operators are being targeted.
- Thousands of fishing vessels continue chumming Florida’s waters every day.
- Shark diving supports research, education, and over 3,000 jobs.
- The industry generates hundreds of millions in tourism revenue.
This bill doesn’t protect sharks—it protects killing them.
The Reality
Sharks are already in crisis.
- Over 100 million sharks are killed every year.
- Oceanic shark populations have declined by more than 70% since 1970.
Banning shark diving does nothing to address this.
In fact, it removes one of the few industries actively working to protect sharks through education, advocacy, and scientific research.
The Truth
This is not about safety.
It’s about who gets access to sharks.
One group protects them. One group profits from killing them.
This bill chooses the wrong side.
Take Action
Contact the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee
These Senators are reviewing H.R. 3831 (The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025). Please respectfully ask them to oppose this legislation.
Feel free to personalize this message. Senators are more likely to give weight to thoughtful messages written in your own words than identical form letters.
Copy & Paste This Letter
Subject: Please Oppose H.R. 3831 – The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025
Dear Senator,
I respectfully urge you to oppose H.R. 3831, the Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025.
Although presented as a public safety measure, this bill targets a small, highly regulated shark-diving ecotourism industry operating in federal waters off Florida while leaving the primary activities that intentionally attract and harvest sharks largely unaffected.
Responsible shark-diving operators have safely conducted educational and ecotourism activities for decades. These businesses support marine research, conservation, public education, and generate millions of dollars in sustainable tourism revenue for Florida while providing local jobs.
Sharks are vital to healthy marine ecosystems and many species are already experiencing significant population declines. Public policy should be guided by the best available scientific evidence. If there are demonstrated public safety concerns, they should be addressed using science-based regulations that apply fairly to all activities, rather than singling out one small industry.
I respectfully ask that you oppose H.R. 3831 and instead support policies that protect both public safety and healthy ocean ecosystems through balanced, science-based management.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Committee Leadership
Chairman Ted Cruz (Texas)
Phone: (202) 224-5922
https://www.cruz.senate.gov/contact
Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (Washington)
Phone: (202) 224-3441
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email
Republican Members
John Thune (South Dakota)
Phone: (202) 224-2321
https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Roger Wicker (Mississippi)
Phone: (202) 224-6253
https://www.wicker.senate.gov/contact
Deb Fischer (Nebraska)
Phone: (202) 224-6551
https://www.fischer.senate.gov/contact
Jerry Moran (Kansas)
Phone: (202) 224-6521
https://www.moran.senate.gov/contact
Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
Phone: (202) 224-3004
https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/contact
Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee)
Phone: (202) 224-3344
https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/contact_marsha
Todd Young (Indiana)
Phone: (202) 224-5623
https://www.young.senate.gov/contact
Ted Budd (North Carolina)
Phone: (202) 224-3154
https://www.budd.senate.gov/contact
Eric Schmitt (Missouri)
Phone: (202) 224-5721
https://www.schmitt.senate.gov/contact
John Curtis (Utah)
Phone: (202) 224-5251
https://www.curtis.senate.gov/contact
Bernie Moreno (Ohio)
Phone: (202) 224-2315
https://www.moreno.senate.gov/contact
Tim Sheehy (Montana)
Phone: (202) 224-2644
https://www.sheehy.senate.gov/contact
Shelley Moore Capito (West Virginia)
Phone: (202) 224-6472
https://www.capito.senate.gov/contact/contact-form
Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
Phone: (202) 224-3424
https://www.lummis.senate.gov/contact
Democratic Members
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Phone: (202) 224-3244
https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Brian Schatz (Hawaii)
Phone: (202) 224-3934
https://www.schatz.senate.gov/contact
Ed Markey (Massachusetts)
Phone: (202) 224-2742
https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact
Gary Peters (Michigan)
Phone: (202) 224-6221
https://www.peters.senate.gov/contact/email-gary
Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin)
Phone: (202) 224-5653
https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact/contact-tammy
Tammy Duckworth (Illinois)
Phone: (202) 224-2854
https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/connect/email-tammy
Jacky Rosen (Nevada)
Phone: (202) 224-6244
https://www.rosen.senate.gov/contact_jacky
Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico)
Phone: (202) 224-6621
https://www.lujan.senate.gov/contact
John Hickenlooper (Colorado)
Phone: (202) 224-5941
https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/contact
John Fetterman (Pennsylvania)
Phone: (202) 224-4254
https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/contact
Andy Kim (New Jersey)
Phone: (202) 224-4744
https://www.kim.senate.gov/contact
Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware)
Phone: (202) 224-2441
https://www.bluntrochester.senate.gov/contact
Stand up for sharks, science, and a sustainable future for our oceans.
Multiply Your Impact
Your signature matters—but your voice can go further.
- Share this petition with at least 3 people
- Post it on social media
- Help us build momentum and stop this ban
Together, we can protect sharks and the ecosystems that depend on them.
