[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 30, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H8679-H8680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REGULATING FISHING IN CERTAIN WATERS OF ALASKA

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1786) to regulate fishing in certain waters of Alaska, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1786

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESCENDANTS' LAND USE.

       (a) In General.--Local residents who are descendants of 
     Katmai residents who lived in the Naknek Lake and River 
     Drainage shall be permitted, subject to reasonable 
     regulations established by the Secretary of the Interior, to 
     continue their traditional fishery for red fish within Katmai 
     National Park (the national park and national preserve 
     redesignated, established, and expanded under section 202(2) 
     of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 
     U.S.C. 410hh-1)).
       (b) Red Fish Defined.--For the purposes of subsection (a), 
     the term ``red fish'' means spawned-out sockeye salmon that 
     has no significant commercial value.

     SEC. 2. EFFECT ON TITLE AND JURISDICTION OF TIDAL AND 
                   SUBMERGED LANDS.

       (a) Title.--No provision of this Act shall be construed to 
     invalidate or validate or in any other way affect any claim 
     by the State of Alaska to title to any or all submerged 
     lands, nor shall any actions taken pursuant to or in 
     accordance with this Act operate under any provision or 
     principle of the law to bar the State of Alaska from 
     asserting at any time its claim of title to any or all of the 
     submerged lands.
       (b) Jurisdiction.--Nothing in this Act nor in any actions 
     taken pursuant to this Act shall be construed as expanding or 
     diminishing Federal or State jurisdiction, responsibility, 
     interests, or rights in management, regulation, or control 
     over waters of the State of Alaska or submerged lands under 
     any provision of Federal or State law.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Calvert] and the gentleman from South Dakota [Mr. 
Johnson] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Calvert].
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. CALVERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1786 is the result of cooperative 
efforts of the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Bristol Bay Native 
Association, the Department of the Interior, and Resources Committee 
staff.
  This bill is necessary to allow approximately 40 local residents of 
the Alaska Peninsula to harvest traditional red fish within the 
boundaries of Katmai National Park. Red fish is spawned out sockeye 
salmon which has traditional significance for the residents of this 
region. The harvest of red

[[Page H8680]]

fish takes place from August to October each year. When Katmai National 
Park was designated in the 1930's, the local residents were prohibited 
from the taking of fish by traditional means. This bill would allow the 
local residents to again harvest this culturally significant red fish 
by traditional means.
  I want to thank Bristol Bay Native Association, Department of the 
Interior, the Alaska Federation of Natives and staff for their work on 
this bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support this noncontroversial bill.


                             general leave

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H.R. 1786.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  The majority has had an opportunity to examine this legislation and 
has no objection to the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Calvert] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1786, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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