117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6651 

AN ACT 

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, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alaska Salmon Re3 search Task Force Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 

5 The purposes of this Act are— 

6 (1) to ensure that Pacific salmon trends in 

7 Alaska regarding productivity and abundance are 

8 characterized and that research needs are identified; 

9 (2) to prioritize scientific research needs for Pa10 cific salmon in Alaska; 

11 (3) to address the increased variability or de12 cline in Pacific salmon returns in Alaska by creating 

13 a coordinated salmon research strategy; and 

14 (4) to support collaboration and coordination 

15 for Pacific salmon conservation efforts in Alaska. 

16 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

17 It is the sense of Congress that— 

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

19 fisheries, including subsistence, commercial, and rec20 reational uses, and there is an urgent need to better 

21 understand the freshwater and marine biology and 

22 ecology of salmon, a migratory species that crosses 

23 many borders, and for a coordinated salmon re24 search strategy to address salmon returns that are 

25 in decline or experiencing increased variability; 
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1 (2) salmon are an essential element for the 

2 well-being and health of Alaskans; and 

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

4 Indigenous heritage who rely on salmon for subsist5 ence and traditional and cultural practices. 

6 SEC. 4. ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE. 

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

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

9 in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall convene 

10 an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force (referred to in 

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

12 (1) review existing Pacific salmon research; 

13 (2) identify applied research needed to better 

14 understand the increased variability and declining 

15 salmon returns in some regions of Alaska; and 

16 (3) support sustainable management of salmon 

17 in Alaska. 

18 (b) COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.— 

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

20 shall be composed of not fewer than 13 and not 

21 more than 19 members, who shall be appointed 

22 under paragraphs (2) and (3). 

23 (2) APPOINTMENT BY SECRETARY.—The Sec24 retary of Commerce shall appoint members to the 

25 Research Task Force as follows: 
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1 (A) One representative from each of the 

2 following: 

3 (i) The National Oceanic and Atmos4 pheric Administration who is knowledge5 able about salmon and salmon research ef6 forts from the Alaska Region. 

7 (ii) The North Pacific Fishery Man8 agement Council. 

9 (iii) The United States section of the 

10 Pacific Salmon Commission. 

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

12 representatives from each of the following cat13 egories, at least 1 of whom shall represent Alas14 ka Natives who possess personal knowledge of, 

15 and direct experience with, subsistence uses in 

16 rural Alaska, to be appointed with due regard 

17 to differences in regional perspectives and expe18 rience: 

19 (i) Residents of Alaska who possess 

20 personal knowledge of, and direct experi21 ence with, subsistence uses in rural Alaska. 

22 (ii) Alaska fishing industry represent23 atives throughout the salmon supply chain, 

24 including from— 

25 (I) directed commercial fishing; 
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1 (II) recreational fishing; 

2 (III) charter fishing; 

3 (IV) seafood processors; 

4 (V) salmon prohibited species 

5 catch (bycatch) users; or 

6 (VI) hatcheries. 

7 (C) 5 representatives who are academic ex8 perts in salmon biology, salmon management, 

9 salmon ecology (marine and freshwater), or 

10 comprehensive marine research planning in the 

11 North Pacific. 

12 (3) APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR OF ALAS13 KA.—The Governor of Alaska shall appoint to the 

14 Research Task Force one representative from the 

15 State of Alaska who is knowledgeable about the 

16 State of Alaska’s salmon management and research 

17 efforts. 

18 (c) DUTIES.— 

19 (1) REVIEW.—The Research Task Force 

20 shall— 

21 (A) conduct a review of Pacific salmon 

22 science relevant to understanding and managing 

23 salmon returns in Alaska, including an exam24 ination of— 
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1 (i) traditional ecological knowledge of 

2 salmon populations and their ecosystems; 

3 (ii) marine carrying capacity and den4 sity dependent constraints, including an 

5 examination of interactions with other 

6 salmon species, and with forage base in 

7 marine ecosystems; 

8 (iii) life-cycle and stage-specific mor9 tality; 

10 (iv) genetic sampling and categoriza11 tion of population structure within salmon 

12 species in Alaska; 

13 (v) methods for predicting run-timing 

14 and stock sizes; 

15 (vi) oceanographic models that provide 

16 insight into stock distribution, growth, and 

17 survival; 

18 (vii) freshwater, estuarine, and marine 

19 processes that affect survival of smolts; 

20 (viii) climate effects on freshwater and 

21 marine habitats; 

22 (ix) predator/prey interactions be23 tween salmon and marine mammals or 

24 other predators; and 
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1 (x) salmon productivity trends in 

2 other regions, both domestic and inter3 national, that put Alaska salmon popu4 lations in a broader geographic context; 

5 and 

6 (B) identify scientific research gaps in un7 derstanding the Pacific salmon life-cycle in 

8 Alaska. 

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

10 date the Research Task Force is convened, the Re11 search Task Force shall submit to the Secretary of 

12 Commerce, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

13 and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on 

14 Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the 

15 Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and 

16 Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropria17 tions of the Senate, the Committee on Natural Re18 sources of the House of Representatives, the Sub19 committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Re20 lated Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations 

21 of the House of Representatives, and the Alaska 

22 State Legislature, and make publicly available, a re23 port— 

24 (A) describing the review conducted under 

25 paragraph (1); and 
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1 (B) that includes— 

2 (i) recommendations on filling knowl3 edge gaps that warrant further scientific 

4 inquiry; and 

5 (ii) findings from the reports of work 

6 groups submitted under subsection 

7 (d)(2)(C). 

8 (d) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.— 

9 (1) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 

10 The Research Task Force shall select a Chair and 

11 Vice Chair by vote from among the members of the 

12 Research Task Force. 

13 (2) WORK GROUPS.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Research Task 

15 Force— 

16 (i) not later than 30 days after the 

17 date of the establishment of the Research 

18 Task Force, shall establish a work group 

19 focused specifically on salmon returns in 

20 the AYK (Arctic-Yukon-Kuskoskim) re21 gions of Western Alaska; and 

22 (ii) may establish additional regionally 

23 or stock focused work groups within the 

24 Research Task Force, as members deter25 mine appropriate. 
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1 (B) COMPOSITION.—Each work group es2 tablished under this subsection shall— 

3 (i) consist of not less than 5 individ4 uals who— 

5 (I) are knowledgeable about the 

6 stock or region under consideration; 

7 and 

8 (II) need not be members of the 

9 Research Task Force; and 

10 (ii) be balanced in terms of stake11 holder representation, including commer12 cial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, 

13 as well as experts in statistical, biological, 

14 economic, social, or other scientific infor15 mation as relevant to the work group’s 

16 focus. 

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

18 after the date the Research Task Force is con19 vened, each work group established under this 

20 subsection shall submit a report with the work 

21 group’s findings to the Research Task Force. 

22 (3) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Re23 search Task Force shall serve without compensation. 

24 (4) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary 

25 of Commerce shall provide such administrative sup-
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1 port as is necessary for the Research Task Force 

2 and its work groups to carry out their duties, includ3 ing support for virtual or in-person participation and 

4 travel expenses. 

5 (e) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

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

7 apply to the Research Task Force. 

Passed the House of Representatives April 26, 2022. 

Attest: 

Clerk. 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6651 

AN ACT 

To establish an Alaska Salmon Research Task 

Force.