Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2019

IB Union Calendar No. 219 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1023 [Report No. 116–274] 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 FEBRUARY 6, 2019 Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Mr. UPTON, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. STAUBER, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, and Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources NOVEMBER 8, 2019 Additional sponsors: Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. KIND, and Ms. KAPTUR NOVEMBER 8, 2019 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1023 RH 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. VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1023 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Great Lakes Fishery 4 Research Authorization Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 (1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 8 the Director of the United States Geological Survey. 9 (2) GREAT LAKES BASIN.—The term ‘‘Great 10 Lakes Basin’’ means the air, land, water, and living 11 organisms in the United States within the drainage 12 basin of the Saint Lawrence River at and upstream 13 from the point at which such river and the Great 14 Lakes become the international boundary between 15 Canada and the United States. 16 SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 17 Congress finds the following: 18 (1) The Great Lakes support a diverse eco- 19 system, on which the vibrant and economically valu- 20 able Great Lakes fisheries depend. 21 (2) To continue successful fisheries manage- 22 ment and coordination, as has occurred since signing 23 of the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between 24 the United States and Canada on September 10, 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1023 RH 1954, management of the ecosystem and its fisheries 1 require sound, reliable science, and the use of mod- 2 ern scientific technologies. 3 (3) Fisheries research is necessary to support 4 multi-jurisdictional fishery management decisions 5 and actions regarding recreational and sport fishing, 6 commercial fisheries, tribal harvest, allocation deci- 7 sions, and fish stocking activities. 8 (4) President Richard Nixon submitted, and the 9 Congress approved, Reorganization Plan No. 4 (84 10 Stat. 2090), conferring science activities and man- 11 agement of marine fisheries to the National Oceanic 12 and Atmospheric Administration. 13 (5) Reorganization Plan No. 4 expressly ex- 14 cluded fishery research activities within the Great 15 Lakes from the transfer, retaining management and 16 scientific research duties within the already estab- 17 lished jurisdictions under the 1954 Convention on 18 Great Lakes Fisheries, including those of the Great 19 Lakes Fishery Commission and the Department of 20 the Interior. 21 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1023 RH SEC. 4. GREAT LAKES MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, SCI- 1 ENCE, AND RESEARCH. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director may conduct moni- 3 toring, assessment, science, and research, in support of 4 the binational fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin. 5 (b) SPECIFIC AUTHORITIES.—The Director shall, 6 under subsection (a)— 7 (1) execute a comprehensive, multi-lake, fresh- 8 water fisheries science program; 9 (2) coordinate with and work cooperatively with 10 regional, State, tribal, and local governments; and 11 (3) consult with other interested entities 12 groups, including academia and relevant Canadian 13 agencies. 14 (c) INCLUDED RESEARCH.—To properly serve the 15 needs of fisheries managers, monitoring, assessment, 16 science, and research under this section may include— 17 (1) deepwater ecosystem sciences; 18 (2) biological and food-web components; 19 (3) fish movement and behavior investigations; 20 (4) fish population structures; 21 (5) fish habitat investigations; 22 (6) invasive species science; 23 (7) use of existing, new, and experimental bio- 24 logical assessment tools, equipment, vessels, other 25 scientific instrumentation and laboratory capabilities 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1023 RH necessary to support fishery management decisions; 1 and 2 (8) studies to assess impacts on Great Lakes 3 fishery resources. 4 (d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this Act is in- 5 tended or shall be construed to impede, supersede, or alter 6 the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 7 States, and Indian tribes under the Convention on Great 8 Lakes Fisheries between the United States of America and 9 Canada on September 10, 1954, and the Great Lakes 10 Fishery Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 931 et seq.). 11 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 12 For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2029, there 13 is authorized to be appropriated $17,500,000 to carry out 14 this Act. 15 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS Union Calendar No. 219 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1023 [Report No. 116–274] A BILL To authorize the Director of the United States Geo- logical Survey to conduct monitoring, assessment, science, and research, in support of the bina- tional fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin, and for other purposes. NOVEMBER 8, 2019 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H1023.RH H1023 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS