I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1580 
To authorize the Director of the United States Geological Survey to conduct 
monitoring, assessment, science, and research, in support of the bina-
tional fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2017 
Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Mr. UPTON, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 
JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mrs. DIN-
GELL, Mr. LEVIN, and Mr. HIGGINS of New York) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Director of the United States Geological 
Survey to conduct monitoring, assessment, science, and 
research, in support of the binational fisheries within 
the Great Lakes Basin, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Great Lakes Fishery 
Research Authorization Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the United States Geological Survey. 
(2) GREAT
LAKES
BASIN.—The term ‘‘Great 
Lakes Basin’’ means the air, land, water, and living 
organisms in the United States within the drainage 
basin of the Saint Lawrence River at and upstream 
from the point at which such river and the Great 
Lakes become the international boundary between 
Canada and the United States. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Great Lakes support a diverse eco-
system, on which the vibrant and economically valu-
able Great Lakes fisheries depend. 
(2) To continue successful fisheries manage-
ment and coordination, as has occurred since signing 
of the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between 
the United States and Canada on September 10, 
1954, management of the ecosystem and its fisheries 
require sound, reliable science, and the use of mod-
ern scientific technologies. 
(3) Fisheries research is necessary to support 
multi-jurisdictional fishery management decisions 
and actions regarding recreational and sport fishing, 
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commercial fisheries, tribal harvest, allocation deci-
sions, and fish stocking activities. 
(4) President Richard Nixon submitted, and the 
Congress approved, Reorganization Plan No. 4 (84 
Stat. 2090), conferring science activities and man-
agement of marine fisheries to the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(5) Reorganization Plan No. 4 expressly ex-
cluded fishery research activities within the Great 
Lakes from the transfer, retaining management and 
scientific research duties within the already estab-
lished jurisdictions under the 1954 Convention on 
Great Lakes Fisheries, including those of the Great 
Lakes Fishery Commission and the Department of 
the Interior. 
SEC. 4. GREAT LAKES MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, SCI-
ENCE, AND RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director may conduct moni-
toring, assessment, science, and research, in support of 
the binational fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin. 
(b) SPECIFIC AUTHORITIES.—The Director shall, 
under subsection (a)— 
(1) execute a comprehensive, multi-lake, fresh-
water fisheries science program; 
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(2) coordinate with and work cooperatively with 
regional, State, tribal, and local governments; and 
(3) consult with other interested entities 
groups, including academia and relevant Canadian 
agencies. 
(c) INCLUDED RESEARCH.—To properly serve the 
needs of fisheries managers, monitoring, assessment, 
science, and research under this section may include— 
(1) deepwater ecosystem sciences; 
(2) biological and food-web components; 
(3) fish movement and behavior investigations; 
(4) fish population structures; 
(5) fish habitat investigations; 
(6) invasive species science; 
(7) use of existing, new, and experimental bio-
logical assessment tools, equipment, vessels, other 
scientific instrumentation and laboratory capabilities 
necessary to support fishery management decisions; 
and 
(8) studies to assess impacts on Great Lakes 
fishery resources. 
(d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this Act is in-
tended or shall be construed to impede, supersede, or alter 
the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 
States, and Indian tribes under the Convention on Great 
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Lakes Fisheries between the United States of America and 
Canada on September 10, 1954, and the Great Lakes 
Fishery Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 931 et seq.). 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
For each of fiscal years 2018 through 2027, there 
is authorized to be appropriated $17,500,000 to carry out 
this Act. 
Æ 
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