IB 

Union Calendar No. 222 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6651 

[Report No. 117–300] 

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 

APRIL 25, 2022 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 

printed 


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A BILL 

To establish an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. 


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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; 

13 (3) to address the increased variability or de14 cline in Pacific salmon returns in Alaska by creating 

15 a coordinated salmon research strategy; and 

16 (4) to support collaboration and coordination 

17 for Pacific salmon conservation efforts in Alaska. 

18 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

19 It is the sense of Congress that— 

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

21 fisheries, including subsistence, commercial, and rec22 reational uses, and there is an urgent need to better 

23 understand the freshwater and marine biology and 

24 ecology of salmon, a migratory species that crosses 

25 many borders, and for a coordinated salmon reVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Apr 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6651.RH H6651

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1 search strategy to address salmon returns that are 

2 in decline or experiencing increased variability; 

3 (2) salmon are an essential element for the 

4 well-being and health of Alaskans; and 

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

6 Indigenous heritage who rely on salmon for subsist7 ence and traditional and cultural practices. 

8 SEC. 4. ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE. 

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

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

11 in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall convene 

12 an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force (referred to in 

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

14 (1) review existing Pacific salmon research; 

15 (2) identify applied research needed to better 

16 understand the increased variability and declining 

17 salmon returns in some regions of Alaska; and 

18 (3) support sustainable management of salmon 

19 in Alaska. 

20 (b) COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT.— 

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

22 shall be composed of not fewer than 13 and not 

23 more than 19 members, who shall be appointed 

24 under paragraphs (2) and (3). 


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1 (2) APPOINTMENT BY SECRETARY.—The Sec2 retary of Commerce shall appoint members to the 

3 Research Task Force as follows: 

4 (A) One representative from each of the 

5 following: 

6 (i) The National Oceanic and Atmos7 pheric Administration who is knowledge8 able about salmon and salmon research ef9 forts from the Alaska Region. 

10 (ii) The North Pacific Fishery Man11 agement Council. 

12 (iii) The United States section of the 

13 Pacific Salmon Commission. 

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

15 representatives from each of the following cat16 egories, at least 1 of whom shall represent Alas17 ka Natives who possess personal knowledge of, 

18 and direct experience with, subsistence uses in 

19 rural Alaska, to be appointed with due regard 

20 to differences in regional perspectives and expe21 rience: 

22 (i) Residents of Alaska who possess 

23 personal knowledge of, and direct experi24 ence with, subsistence uses in rural Alaska. 


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1 (ii) Alaska fishing industry represent2 atives throughout the salmon supply chain, 

3 including from— 

4 (I) directed commercial fishing; 

5 (II) recreational fishing; 

6 (III) charter fishing; 

7 (IV) seafood processors; 

8 (V) salmon prohibited species 

9 catch (bycatch) users; or 

10 (VI) hatcheries. 

11 (C) 5 representatives who are academic ex12 perts in salmon biology, salmon management, 

13 salmon ecology (marine and freshwater), or 

14 comprehensive marine research planning in the 

15 North Pacific. 

16 (3) APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR OF ALAS17 KA.—The Governor of Alaska shall appoint to the 

18 Research Task Force one representative from the 

19 State of Alaska who is knowledgeable about the 

20 State of Alaska’s salmon management and research 

21 efforts. 

22 (c) DUTIES.— 

23 (1) REVIEW.—The Research Task Force 

24 shall— 


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1 (A) conduct a review of Pacific salmon 

2 science relevant to understanding and managing 

3 salmon returns in Alaska, including an exam4 ination of— 

5 (i) traditional ecological knowledge of 

6 salmon populations and their ecosystems; 

7 (ii) marine carrying capacity and den8 sity dependent constraints, including an 

9 examination of interactions with other 

10 salmon species, and with forage base in 

11 marine ecosystems; 

12 (iii) life-cycle and stage-specific mor13 tality; 

14 (iv) genetic sampling and categoriza15 tion of population structure within salmon 

16 species in Alaska; 

17 (v) methods for predicting run-timing 

18 and stock sizes; 

19 (vi) oceanographic models that provide 

20 insight into stock distribution, growth, and 

21 survival; 

22 (vii) freshwater, estuarine, and marine 

23 processes that affect survival of smolts; 

24 (viii) climate effects on freshwater and 

25 marine habitats; 


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1 (ix) predator/prey interactions be2 tween salmon and marine mammals or 

3 other predators; and 

4 (x) salmon productivity trends in 

5 other regions, both domestic and inter6 national, that put Alaska salmon popu7 lations in a broader geographic context; 

8 and 

9 (B) identify scientific research gaps in un10 derstanding the Pacific salmon life-cycle in 

11 Alaska. 

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

13 date the Research Task Force is convened, the Re14 search Task Force shall submit to the Secretary of 

15 Commerce, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

16 and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on 

17 Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the 

18 Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and 

19 Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropria20 tions of the Senate, the Committee on Natural Re21 sources of the House of Representatives, the Sub22 committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Re23 lated Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations 

24 of the House of Representatives, and the Alaska 


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1 State Legislature, and make publicly available, a re2 port— 

3 (A) describing the review conducted under 

4 paragraph (1); and 

5 (B) that includes— 

6 (i) recommendations on filling knowl7 edge gaps that warrant further scientific 

8 inquiry; and 

9 (ii) findings from the reports of work 

10 groups submitted under subsection 

11 (d)(2)(C). 

12 (d) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.— 

13 (1) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 

14 The Research Task Force shall select a Chair and 

15 Vice Chair by vote from among the members of the 

16 Research Task Force. 

17 (2) WORK GROUPS.— 

18 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Research Task 

19 Force— 

20 (i) not later than 30 days after the 

21 date of the establishment of the Research 

22 Task Force, shall establish a work group 

23 focused specifically on salmon returns in 

24 the AYK (Arctic-Yukon-Kuskoskim) re25 gions of Western Alaska; and 


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1 (ii) may establish additional regionally 

2 or stock focused work groups within the 

3 Research Task Force, as members deter4 mine appropriate. 

5 (B) COMPOSITION.—Each work group es6 tablished under this subsection shall— 

7 (i) consist of not less than 5 individ8 uals who— 

9 (I) are knowledgeable about the 

10 stock or region under consideration; 

11 and 

12 (II) need not be members of the 

13 Research Task Force; and 

14 (ii) be balanced in terms of stake15 holder representation, including commer16 cial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, 

17 as well as experts in statistical, biological, 

18 economic, social, or other scientific infor19 mation as relevant to the work group’s 

20 focus. 

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

22 after the date the Research Task Force is con23 vened, each work group established under this 

24 subsection shall submit a report with the work 

25 group’s findings to the Research Task Force. 


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1 (3) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Re2 search Task Force shall serve without compensation. 

3 (4) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The Secretary 

4 of Commerce shall provide such administrative sup5 port as is necessary for the Research Task Force 

6 and its work groups to carry out their duties, includ7 ing support for virtual or in-person participation and 

8 travel expenses. 

9 (e) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The 

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

11 apply to the Research Task Force. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 222 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6651 

[Report No. 117–300] 

A BILL 

To establish an Alaska Salmon Research Task 

Force. 

APRIL 25, 2022 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS