I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6651 

To establish an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 8, 2022 

Mr. YOUNG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alaska Salmon Re5 search Task Force Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 

7 The purposes of this Act are— 

8 (1) to ensure that Pacific salmon trends in 

9 Alaska regarding productivity and abundance are 

10 characterized and that research needs are identified; 

11 (2) to prioritize scientific research needs for Pa12 cific salmon in Alaska; 


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1 (3) to address the increased variability or de2 cline in Pacific salmon returns in Alaska by creating 

3 a coordinated salmon research strategy; and 

4 (4) to support collaboration and coordination 

5 for Pacific salmon conservation efforts in Alaska. 

6 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that— 

8 (1) salmon are an essential part of Alaska’s 

9 fisheries, including subsistence, commercial, and rec10 reational uses, and there is an urgent need to better 

11 understand the freshwater and marine biology and 

12 ecology of salmon, a migratory species that crosses 

13 many borders, and for a coordinated salmon re14 search strategy to address salmon returns that are 

15 in decline or experiencing increased variability; 

16 (2) salmon are an essential element for the 

17 well-being and health of Alaskans; and 

18 (3) there is a unique relationship for people of 

19 Indigenous heritage who rely on salmon for subsist20 ence and traditional and cultural practices. 

21 SEC. 4. ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 

23 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, 

24 in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall convene 


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1 an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force (referred to in 

2 this section as the ‘‘Research Task Force’’) to— 

3 (1) review existing Pacific salmon research; 

4 (2) identify applied research needed to better 

5 understand the increased variability and declining 

6 salmon returns in some regions of Alaska; and 

7 (3) support sustainable management of salmon 

8 in Alaska. 

9 (b) COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Research Task Force 

11 shall be composed of not fewer than 13 and not 

12 more than 19 members, who shall be appointed 

13 under paragraphs (2) and (3). 

14 (2) APPOINTMENT BY SECRETARY.—The Sec15 retary of Commerce shall appoint members to the 

16 Research Task Force as follows: 

17 (A) One representative from each of the 

18 following: 

19 (i) The National Oceanic and Atmos20 pheric Administration who is knowledge21 able about salmon and salmon research ef22 forts from the Alaska Region. 

23 (ii) The North Pacific Fishery Man24 agement Council. 


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1 (iii) The United States section of the 

2 Pacific Salmon Commission. 

3 (B) Not less than 2 and not more than 5 

4 representatives from each of the following cat5 egories, at least 1 of whom shall represent Alas6 ka Natives who possess personal knowledge of, 

7 and direct experience with, subsistence uses in 

8 rural Alaska, to be appointed with due regard 

9 to differences in regional perspectives and expe10 rience: 

11 (i) Residents of Alaska who possess 

12 personal knowledge of, and direct experi13 ence with, subsistence uses in rural Alaska. 

14 (ii) Alaska fishing industry represent15 atives throughout the salmon supply chain, 

16 including from— 

17 (I) directed commercial fishing; 

18 (II) recreational fishing; 

19 (III) charter fishing; 

20 (IV) seafood processors; 

21 (V) salmon prohibited species 

22 catch (bycatch) users; or 

23 (VI) hatcheries. 

24 (C) 5 representatives who are academic ex25 perts in salmon biology, salmon management, 


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1 salmon ecology (marine and freshwater), or 

2 comprehensive marine research planning in the 

3 North Pacific. 

4 (3) APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR OF ALAS5 KA.—The Governor of Alaska shall appoint to the 

6 Research Task Force one representative from the 

7 State of Alaska who is knowledgeable about the 

8 State of Alaska’s salmon management and research 

9 efforts. 

10 (c) DUTIES.— 

11 (1) REVIEW.—The Research Task Force 

12 shall— 

13 (A) conduct a review of Pacific salmon 

14 science relevant to understanding and managing 

15 salmon returns in Alaska, including an exam16 ination of— 

17 (i) traditional ecological knowledge of 

18 salmon populations and their ecosystems; 

19 (ii) marine carrying capacity and den20 sity dependent constraints, including an 

21 examination of interactions with other 

22 salmon species, and with forage base in 

23 marine ecosystems; 

24 (iii) life-cycle and stage-specific mor25 tality; 


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1 (iv) genetic sampling and categoriza2 tion of population structure within salmon 

3 species in Alaska; 

4 (v) methods for predicting run-timing 

5 and stock sizes; 

6 (vi) oceanographic models that provide 

7 insight into stock distribution, growth, and 

8 survival; 

9 (vii) freshwater, estuarine, and marine 

10 processes that affect survival of smolts; 

11 (viii) climate effects on freshwater and 

12 marine habitats; 

13 (ix) predator/prey interactions be14 tween salmon and marine mammals or 

15 other predators; and 

16 (x) salmon productivity trends in 

17 other regions, both domestic and inter18 national, that put Alaska salmon popu19 lations in a broader geographic context; 

20 and 

21 (B) identify scientific research gaps in un22 derstanding the Pacific salmon life-cycle in 

23 Alaska. 

24 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

25 date the Research Task Force is convened, the ReVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Feb 11, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6651.IH H6651

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1 search Task Force shall submit to the Secretary of 

2 Commerce, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

3 and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on 

4 Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the 

5 Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and 

6 Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropria7 tions of the Senate, the Committee on Natural Re8 sources of the House of Representatives, the Sub9 committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Re10 lated Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations 

11 of the House of Representatives, and the Alaska 

12 State Legislature, and make publicly available, a re13 port— 

14 (A) describing the review conducted under 

15 paragraph (1); and 

16 (B) that includes— 

17 (i) recommendations on filling knowl18 edge gaps that warrant further scientific 

19 inquiry; and 

20 (ii) findings from the reports of work 

21 groups submitted under subsection 

22 (d)(2)(C). 

23 (d) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.— 

24 (1) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 

25 The Research Task Force shall select a Chair and 


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1 Vice Chair by vote from among the members of the 

2 Research Task Force. 

3 (2) WORK GROUPS.— 

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Research Task 

5 Force— 

6 (i) not later than 30 days after the 

7 date of the establishment of the Research 

8 Task Force, shall establish a work group 

9 focused specifically on salmon returns in 

10 the AYK (Arctic-Yukon-Kuskoskim) re11 gions of Western Alaska; and 

12 (ii) may establish additional regionally 

13 or stock focused work groups within the 

14 Research Task Force, as members deter15 mine appropriate. 

16 (B) COMPOSITION.—Each work group es17 tablished under this subsection shall— 

18 (i) consist of not less than 5 individ19 uals who— 

20 (I) are knowledgeable about the 

21 stock or region under consideration; 

22 and 

23 (II) need not be members of the 

24 Research Task Force; and 


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1 (ii) be balanced in terms of stake2 holder representation, including commer3 cial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, 

4 as well as experts in statistical, biological, 

5 economic, social, or other scientific infor6 mation as relevant to the work group’s 

7 focus. 

8 (C) REPORTS.—Not later than 9 months 

9 after the date the Research Task Force is con10 vened, each work group established under this 

11 subsection shall submit a report with the work 

12 group’s findings to the Research Task Force. 

13 (3) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Re14 search Task Force shall serve without compensation. 

15 (4) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary 

16 of Commerce shall provide such administrative sup17 port as is necessary for the Research Task Force 

18 and its work groups to carry out their duties, includ19 ing support for virtual or in-person participation and 

20 travel expenses. 

21 (e) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

22 Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 

23 apply to the Research Task Force. 

Æ 


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