[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 194 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7186-S7187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE ACT
Mr. SCHUMER: Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 644, S. 3429.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 3429) to establish an Alaska Salmon Research
Task Force.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Salmon Research Task
Force Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to ensure that Pacific salmon trends in Alaska
regarding productivity and abundance are characterized and
that research needs are identified;
(2) to prioritize scientific research needs for Pacific
salmon in Alaska;
(3) to address the increased variability or decline in
Pacific salmon returns in Alaska by creating a coordinated
salmon research strategy; and
(4) to support collaboration and coordination for Pacific
salmon conservation efforts in Alaska.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) salmon are an essential part of Alaska's fisheries,
including subsistence, commercial, and recreational uses, and
there is an urgent need to better understand the freshwater
and marine biology and ecology of salmon, a migratory species
that crosses many borders, and for a coordinated salmon
research strategy to address salmon returns that are in
decline or experiencing increased variability;
(2) salmon are an essential element for the well-being and
health of Alaskans; and
(3) there is a unique relationship between people of
Indigenous heritage and the salmon they rely on for
subsistence and traditional and cultural practices.
SEC. 4. ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in
consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall convene an
Alaska Salmon Research Task Force (referred to in this
section as the ``Research Task Force'') to--
(1) review existing Pacific salmon research;
(2) identify applied research needed to better understand
the increased variability and declining salmon returns in
some regions of Alaska; and
(3) support sustainable management of salmon in Alaska.
(b) Composition and Appointment.--
(1) In general.--The Research Task Force shall be composed
of not fewer than 13 and not more than 19 members, who shall
be appointed under paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) Appointment by secretary.--The Secretary of Commerce
shall appoint members to the Research Task Force as follows:
(A) One representative from each of the following:
(i) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who
is knowledgeable about salmon and salmon research efforts in
Alaska and is from the Alaska Region.
(ii) The North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
(iii) The United States section of the Pacific Salmon
Commission.
(B) Not less than 2 and not more than 5 representatives
from each of the following categories, at least 2 of whom
shall represent Alaska Natives who possess personal knowledge
of, and direct experience with, subsistence uses in rural
Alaska, to be appointed with due regard to differences in
regional perspectives and experience:
(i) Residents of Alaska who possess personal knowledge of,
and direct experience with, subsistence uses in rural Alaska.
(ii) Alaska fishing industry representatives throughout the
salmon supply chain, including from--
(I) directed commercial fishing;
(II) recreational fishing;
(III) charter fishing;
(IV) seafood processors;
(V) salmon prohibited species catch (bycatch) users; or
(VI) hatcheries.
(C) 5 representatives who are academic experts in salmon
biology, salmon management, salmon ecology (marine and
freshwater), or comprehensive marine research planning in the
North Pacific.
(3) Appointment by the governor of alaska.--The Governor of
Alaska shall appoint to the Research Task Force one
representative from the State of Alaska who is knowledgeable
about the State of Alaska's salmon management and research
efforts.
(c) Duties.--
(1) Review.--The Research Task Force shall--
(A) conduct a review of Pacific salmon science relevant to
understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska,
including an examination of--
(i) traditional ecological knowledge of salmon populations
and their ecosystems;
(ii) marine carrying capacity and density dependent
constraints, including an examination of interactions with
other salmon species, and with forage base in marine
ecosystems;
(iii) life-cycle and stage-specific mortality;
(iv) genetic sampling and categorization of population
structure within salmon species in Alaska;
(v) methods for predicting run-timing and stock sizes;
(vi) oceanographic models that provide insight into stock
distribution, growth, and survival;
(vii) freshwater, estuarine, and marine processes that
affect survival of smolts;
(viii) climate effects on freshwater and marine habitats;
(ix) predator/prey interactions between salmon and marine
mammals or other predators; and
(x) salmon productivity trends in other regions, both
domestic and international, that put Alaska salmon
populations in a broader geographic context; and
(B) identify scientific research gaps in understanding the
Pacific salmon life cycle in Alaska.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date the
Research Task Force is convened, the Research Task Force
shall submit to the Secretary of Commerce, the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate,
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice,
Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the
Alaska State Legislature, and make publicly available, a
report--
(A) describing the review conducted under paragraph (1);
and
(B) that includes--
(i) recommendations on filling knowledge gaps that warrant
further scientific inquiry; and
(ii) findings from the reports of work groups submitted
under subsection (d)(2)(C).
(d) Administrative Matters.--
(1) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Research Task
Force shall select a Chair and Vice Chair by vote from among
the members of the Research Task Force.
(2) Work groups.--
(A) In general.--The Research Task Force--
(i) not later than 30 days after the date of the
establishment of the Research Task Force, shall establish a
work group focused specifically on salmon returns in the AYK
(Arctic-Yukon-Kuskoskim) regions of Western Alaska; and
(ii) may establish additional regionally or stock focused
work groups within the Research Task Force, as members
determine appropriate.
(B) Composition.--Each work group established under this
subsection shall--
(i) consist of not less than 5 individuals who--
(I) are knowledgeable about the stock or region under
consideration; and
(II) need not be members of the Research Task Force; and
(ii) be balanced in terms of stakeholder representation,
including commercial, recreational, and subsistence
fisheries, as well as experts in statistical, biological,
economic, social, or other scientific information as relevant
to the work group's focus.
(C) Reports.--Not later than 9 months after the date the
Research Task Force is convened, each work group established
under this subsection shall submit a report with the work
group's findings to the Research Task Force.
(3) Compensation.--Each member of the Research Task Force
shall serve without compensation.
(4) Administrative support.--The Secretary of Commerce
shall provide such administrative support as is necessary for
the Research Task Force and its work groups to carry out
their duties, including support for virtual or in-person
participation and travel expenses.
(e) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Research
Task Force.
SEC. 5. DEFINITION OF PACIFIC SALMON.
In this Act, the term ``Pacific salmon'' means salmon that
originates in Alaskan waters.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Sullivan substitute
amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the committee-
reported substitute, as amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as
amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the
motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
[[Page S7187]]
The amendment (No. 6523), in the nature of a substitute, was agreed
to, as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Alaska Salmon Research Task
Force Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to ensure that Pacific salmon trends in Alaska
regarding productivity and abundance are characterized and
that research needs are identified;
(2) to prioritize scientific research needs for Pacific
salmon in Alaska;
(3) to address the increased variability or decline in
Pacific salmon returns in Alaska by creating a coordinated
salmon research strategy; and
(4) to support collaboration and coordination for Pacific
salmon conservation efforts in Alaska.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) salmon are an essential part of Alaska's fisheries,
including subsistence, commercial, and recreational uses, and
there is an urgent need to better understand the freshwater
and marine biology and ecology of salmon, a migratory species
that crosses many borders, and for a coordinated salmon
research strategy to address salmon returns that are in
decline or experiencing increased variability;
(2) salmon are an essential element for the well-being and
health of Alaskans; and
(3) there is a unique relationship between people of
Indigenous heritage and the salmon they rely on for
subsistence and traditional and cultural practices.
SEC. 4. ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in
consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall convene an
Alaska Salmon Research Task Force (referred to in this
section as the ``Research Task Force'') to--
(1) review existing Pacific salmon research in Alaska;
(2) identify applied research needed to better understand
the increased variability and declining salmon returns in
some regions of Alaska; and
(3) support sustainable salmon runs in Alaska.
(b) Composition and Appointment.--
(1) In general.--The Research Task Force shall be composed
of not fewer than 13 and not more than 19 members, who shall
be appointed under paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) Appointment by secretary.--The Secretary of Commerce
shall appoint members to the Research Task Force as follows:
(A) One representative from each of the following:
(i) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who
is knowledgeable about salmon and salmon research efforts in
Alaska.
(ii) The North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
(iii) The United States section of the Pacific Salmon
Commission.
(B) Not less than 2 and not more than 5 representatives
from each of the following categories, at least 2 of whom
shall represent Alaska Natives who possess personal knowledge
of, and direct experience with, subsistence uses in rural
Alaska, to be appointed with due regard to differences in
regional perspectives and experience:
(i) Residents of Alaska who possess personal knowledge of,
and direct experience with, subsistence uses in rural Alaska.
(ii) Alaska fishing industry representatives throughout the
salmon supply chain, including from--
(I) directed commercial fishing;
(II) recreational fishing;
(III) charter fishing;
(IV) seafood processors;
(V) salmon prohibited species catch (bycatch) users; or
(VI) hatcheries.
(C) 5 representatives who are academic experts in salmon
biology, salmon ecology (marine and freshwater), salmon
habitat restoration and conservation, or comprehensive marine
research planning in the North Pacific.
(3) Appointment by the governor of alaska.--The Governor of
Alaska shall appoint to the Research Task Force one
representative from the State of Alaska who is knowledgeable
about the State of Alaska's salmon research efforts.
(c) Duties.--
(1) Review.--The Research Task Force shall--
(A) conduct a review of Pacific salmon science relevant to
understanding salmon returns in Alaska, including an
examination of--
(i) traditional ecological knowledge of salmon populations
and their ecosystems;
(ii) marine carrying capacity and density dependent
constraints, including an examination of interactions with
other salmon species, and with forage base in marine
ecosystems;
(iii) life-cycle and stage-specific mortality;
(iv) genetic sampling and categorization of population
structure within salmon species in Alaska;
(v) methods for predicting run-timing and stock sizes;
(vi) oceanographic models that provide insight into stock
distribution, growth, and survival;
(vii) freshwater, estuarine, and marine processes that
affect survival of smolts;
(viii) climate effects on freshwater and marine habitats;
(ix) predator/prey interactions between salmon and marine
mammals or other predators; and
(x) salmon productivity trends in other regions, both
domestic and international, that put Alaska salmon
populations in a broader geographic context; and
(B) identify scientific research gaps in understanding the
Pacific salmon life cycle in Alaska.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date the
Research Task Force is convened, the Research Task Force
shall submit to the Secretary of Commerce, the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate,
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice,
Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the
Alaska State Legislature, and make publicly available, a
report--
(A) describing the review conducted under paragraph (1);
and
(B) that includes--
(i) recommendations on filling knowledge gaps that warrant
further scientific inquiry; and
(ii) findings from the reports of work groups submitted
under subsection (d)(2)(C).
(d) Administrative Matters.--
(1) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Research Task
Force shall select a Chair and Vice Chair by vote from among
the members of the Research Task Force.
(2) Work groups.--
(A) In general.--The Research Task Force--
(i) not later than 30 days after the date of the
establishment of the Research Task Force, shall establish a
work group focused specifically on the research needs
associated with salmon returns in the AYK (Arctic-Yukon-
Kuskokwim) regions of Western Alaska; and
(ii) may establish additional regionally or stock focused
work groups within the Research Task Force, as members
determine appropriate.
(B) Composition.--Each work group established under this
subsection shall--
(i) consist of not less than 5 individuals who--
(I) are knowledgeable about the stock or region under
consideration; and
(II) need not be members of the Research Task Force; and
(ii) be balanced in terms of stakeholder representation,
including commercial, recreational, and subsistence
fisheries, as well as experts in statistical, biological,
economic, social, or other scientific information as relevant
to the work group's focus.
(C) Reports.--Not later than 9 months after the date the
Research Task Force is convened, each work group established
under this subsection shall submit a report with the work
group's findings to the Research Task Force.
(3) Compensation.--Each member of the Research Task Force
shall serve without compensation.
(4) Administrative support.--The Secretary of Commerce
shall provide such administrative support as is necessary for
the Research Task Force and its work groups to carry out
their duties, which may include support for virtual or in-
person participation and travel expenses.
(e) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Research
Task Force.
SEC. 5. DEFINITION OF PACIFIC SALMON.
In this Act, the term ``Pacific salmon'' means salmon that
originates in Alaskan waters.
The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, as
amended, was agreed to.
The bill (S. 3429), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
____________________