H.R. 614House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Shark Sales Elimination Act of 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:37 AM UTC

The Shark Sales Elimination Act of 2019 makes it illegal for anyone to possess, offer for sale, sell, or buy shark parts or products that contain shark parts. The ban applies nationwide but includes exemptions for parts taken legally and used for non‑commercial subsistence, destroyed, or used only for display or scientific research by qualified institutions. The law targets retailers, buyers, and anyone handling shark parts, aiming to curb commercial shark product markets.

Key Provisions

Prohibits possession, sale, offer for sale, or purchase of any shark part or product containing a shark part, except as outlined in the exemptions.
Violations are treated as prohibited acts under the Magnuson‑Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, applying its penalties.
Exempts shark parts that are lawfully taken under a state, territorial, or federal permit and are either destroyed, used for non‑commercial subsistence, or used solely for display or non‑commercial scientific research by museums, colleges, universities, or other permitted entities.
Defines “shark” to include all species in specified orders and defines “shark part” as any detached raw, dried, or processed part of a shark; allows states or territories to enforce stricter regulations than the federal standard.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

February 6, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 16, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

January 16, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

February 6, 2019

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 16, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 614

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 16, 2019

Mr. Ted Lieu of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To prohibit the sale of shark parts, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Shark Sales Elimination Act of 2019.

Prohibition on sale of shark parts

(a)

Prohibition

Except as provided in section 3, no person shall possess, offer for sale, sell, or purchase any shark part or product containing any shark part.

(b)

Penalty

For purposes of section 308(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1858(a)), a violation of this section shall be treated as an act prohibited by section 307 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1857).

Exemption for traditional fisheries, education, and science

Section 2 shall not apply with respect to possession of a shark part that was taken lawfully under a State, territorial, or Federal license or permit to take or land sharks, if the shark part is separated from the shark in a manner consistent with the license or permit and is—

(1)

destroyed or discarded;

(2)

used for noncommercial subsistence purposes in accordance with State or territorial law; or

(3)

used solely for display or research purposes by a museum, college, or university, or other person under a State or Federal permit to conduct noncommercial scientific research.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Shark

The term shark means any species of the orders Pristiophoriformes, Squatiniformes, Squaliformes, Hexanchiformes, Lamniformes, Carchariniformes, Orectolobiformes, and Heterodontiformes.

(2)

shark part

The term shark part means any shark or raw, dried, or otherwise processed detached part of a shark.

State authority

Nothing in this Act affects any right of a State or territory of the United States to adopt or enforce any regulation or standard that is more stringent than a regulation or standard in effect under this Act.