,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ddf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #ab1 #bjai,mr4 ,peters 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,portman1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 and ,ms4 ,duckworth7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey to conduct monitoring1 assessment1 science1 and research1 in support of the binational fisheries within the ,great ,lakes ,basin4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,great ,lakes ,fishery ,research ,authorization ,act4 #b4 ,great ,lakes monitoring1 assessment1 science1 and research 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey4 7#b7 ,great ,lakes ,basin ,the term ,great ,lakes ,basin means the air1 land1 water1 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 ,states4 7b7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,great ,lakes support a diverse ecosystem1 on which the vibrant and economically valuable ,great ,lakes fisheries depend4 7#b7 ,to continue successful fisheries management and coordination1 as has occurred since signing of the ,convention on ,great ,lakes ,fisheries between the ,united ,states and ,canada on ,september #aj1 #aied1 management of the ecosystem and its fisheries require sound1 reliable science1 and the use of modern scientific technologies4 7#c7 ,fisheries research is necessary to support multi-jurisdictional fishery management decisions and actions regarding recreational and sport fishing1 commercial fisheries1 tribal harvest1 allocation decisions1 and fish stocking activities4 7#d7 ,president ,richard ,nixon submitted1 and the ,congress approved1 ,reorganization ,plan ,no4 #d 7#hd ,stat4 #bjij71 conferring science activities and management of marine fisheries to the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7#e7 ,reorganization ,plan ,no4 #d expressly excluded fishery research activities within the ,great ,lakes from the transfer1 retaining management and scientific research duties within the already established jurisdictions under the #aied ,convention on ,great ,lakes ,fisheries1 including those of the ,great ,lakes ,fishery ,commission and the ,department of the ,interior4 7c7 ,monitoring1 assessment1 science1 and research 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director may conduct monitoring1 assessment1 science1 and research1 in support of the binational fisheries within the ,great ,lakes ,basin4 7#b7 ,specific authorities ,the ,director shall1 under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 execute a comprehensive1 multi-lake1 freshwater fisheries science program2 7,b7 coordinate with and work cooperatively with regional1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local governments2 and 7,c7 consult with other interested entities1 including academia and relevant ,canadian agencies4 7#c7 ,included research ,to properly serve the needs of fisheries managers1 monitoring1 assessment1 science1 and research under this section may include-- 7,a7 deepwater ecosystem sciences2 7,b7 biological and food-web components2 7,c7 fish movement and behavior investigations2 7,d7 fish population structures2 7,e7 fish habitat investigations2 7,f7 invasive species science2 7,g7 use of existing1 new1 and experimental biological assessment tools1 equipment1 vessels1 other scientific instrumentation and laboratory capabilities necessary to support fishery management decisions2 and 7,h7 studies to assess impacts on ,great ,lakes ,fishery resources4 7#d7 ,savings clause ,nothing in this section is intended or shall be construed to impede1 supersede1 or alter the authority of the ,great ,lakes ,fishery ,commission1 ,states1 and ,indian tribes under the ,convention on ,great ,lakes ,fisheries between the ,united ,states of ,america and ,canada on ,september #aj1 #aied1 and the ,great ,lakes ,fishery ,act of #aief 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ica et seq474 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd1 there is authorized to be appropriated #ag1ejj1jjj to carry out this section4