119-s2883

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2883 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2883

 To establish an East Coast Bivalve Research Task Force.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 September 18 (legislative day, September 16), 2025

Mr. Whitehouse (for himself and Mr. Scott of South Carolina) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
 on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish an East Coast Bivalve Research Task Force.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Quantifying Uncertainty and Action 
to Help Optimize Growth of Shellfish Act of 2025'' or the ``QUAHOGS Act 
of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

 The purposes of this Act are--

    (1) to ensure that bivalve trends in East Coast States 
 regarding productivity and abundance are characterized and that 
 research needs are identified;

    (2) to prioritize scientific research needs for 
 commercially harvested and aquacultured East Coast bivalves;

    (3) to address the increased variability or decline in 
 harvests of key bivalve species in East Coast States, including 
 quahogs (hard clams), by creating a coordinated bivalve 
 research strategy; and

    (4) to support collaboration and coordination for bivalve 
 conservation efforts in East Coast States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Bivalve.--The term ``bivalve'' means aquatic mollusks 
 that have an external 2-part hinged shell containing a soft-
 bodied invertebrate, including clams, oysters, mussels, and 
 scallops.

    (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

    (3) Quahog (hard clam).--The term ``quahog (hard clam)'' 
 means the Northern quahog or hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, 
 as well as the Southern quahog or Southern hard clam, 
 Mercenaria campechiensis.

SEC. 4. EAST COAST BIVALVE RESEARCH TASK FORCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Chairs 
of the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Councils and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, shall 
convene an East Coast Bivalve Research Task Force (referred to in this 
section as the ``Research Task Force'') to--

    (1) review existing bivalve research in East Coast States;

    (2) identify applied research needed to better understand 
 the increased variability and declining harvests of quahogs 
 (hard clams) and other bivalves in some parts of the East 
 Coast;

    (3) support sustainable bivalve fisheries in East Coast 
 States;

    (4) support sustainable bivalve aquaculture operations; and

    (5) evaluate economic impacts of bivalve wild populations, 
 fisheries, and aquaculture.

    (b) Composition and Appointment.--

    (1) In general.--The Research Task Force shall be composed 
 of not fewer than 16 and not more than 21 members, who shall be 
 appointed under paragraph

    (2) .

    (2) Appointment by secretary.--The Secretary of Commerce 
 shall appoint members to the Research Task Force as follows:
        (A) One representative from each of the following:
            (i) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
 Administration who is knowledgeable about 
 bivalve research efforts in East Coast States.
            (ii) The Environmental Protection Agency 
 who is knowledgeable about United States water 
 quality assessments and standards for bivalve 
 and human health.
            (iii) The United States Department of 
 Agriculture who is experienced in aquaculture 
 research or management.
            (iv) The New England Fishery Management 
 Council.
            (v) The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
 Council.
            (vi) The South Atlantic Fishery Management 
 Council.
            (vii) The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
 Commission.
        (B) One representative from a State fish and 
 wildlife management agency from each of--
            (i) the region defined by the New England 
 Fishery Management Council;
            (ii) the region defined by the Mid-Atlantic 
 Fishery Management Council; and
            (iii) the region defined by the South 
 Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
            (C) Not less than 1 and not more than 3 
 representatives of Indian Tribes with current or 
 historic, or both, knowledge of and reliance on East 
 Coast bivalves to be appointed with due regard to 
 differences in regional perspectives and experience.
            (D) Not less than 3 and not more than 6 
 representatives from the bivalve fishing industry 
 throughout the supply chain to be appointed with due 
 regard to differences in regional perspectives and 
 experience, including from--
            (i) directed commercial harvesting;
            (ii) recreational harvesting;
            (iii) fisheries of an Indian Tribe;
            (iv) bivalve processors or distributors; or
            (v) bivalve aquaculture, including 
 hatcheries.
        (E) 5 representatives who are academic experts in 
 bivalve biology and ecology, bivalve habitat 
 restoration and conservation, bivalve aquaculture, 
 comprehensive marine research planning in East Coast 
 States, or the economics or social dynamics of bivalve 
 fisheries and aquaculture, including at least 1 
 representative with expertise in quahogs (hard clams).

    (3) Chair.--The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
 Administration representative described in paragraph

    (2)
        (A)
            (i) shall be the Chair of the Research Task Force.
            (c) Duties.--

    (1) Review.--The Research Task Force shall--
        (A) conduct a review of bivalve science relevant to 
 understanding current and potential future harvests of 
 quahogs (hard clams) and other culturally or 
 economically important bivalve species in East Coast 
 States, as well as solutions to identified problems, 
 including an examination of--
            (i) traditional ecological knowledge of 
 bivalve populations and their ecosystems, 
 including potential for incorporation into 
 management plans;
            (ii) habitat requirements for bivalve 
 populations, including water quality and 
 potential for water quality improvement or 
 alteration through habitat restoration or other 
 means, as well as potential future habitat 
 change;
            (iii) impacts of erosion and sedimentation 
 on bivalve populations and farms, including 
 potential mitigation techniques;
            (iv) current and future impacts of climate 
 change on bivalves, including ocean warming, 
 ocean acidification, and sea level rise;
            (v) conditions and techniques for 
 successful restoration, including feasibility 
 of multitrophic restoration, such as bivalves 
 and seagrass meadows;
            (vi) mitigation strategies for climate 
 change impacts, including assisted migration;
            (vii) culture and breeding techniques, 
 including genomic modifications to meet 
 different commercial, recreational, and 
 restoration needs;
            (viii) life cycle, including larval 
 dispersal, recruitment dynamics, life-stage 
 specific mortality, and growth rate;
            (ix) current and historic ranges, as well 
 as potential future range shifts due to climate 
 change;
            (x) prevalence of diseases and disease 
 mitigating strategies;
            (xi) management strategies for sustainable 
 bivalve aquaculture and potential impacts; and
            (xii) economic value and potential of 
 bivalve aquaculture, including financial and 
 regulatory barriers to entry for small-scale 
 operations;
        (B) identify--
            (i) scientific research gaps in 
 understanding the ecology of culturally and 
 economically important bivalve species in East 
 Coast States; and
            (ii) the needs for developing solutions to 
 declining harvests and other identified 
 problems, including with respect to quahogs 
 (hard clams);
            (C) consider both current and future impacts on the 
 health and populations of bivalves in East Coast 
 States; and
            (D) identify solutions to current and predicted 
 impacts on the health and populations of bivalves in 
 East Coast States.

    (2) Reports.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
 date the Research Task Force is established, the Chair 
 of the Research Task Force shall submit to the 
 Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
 the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
 of the Senate, the Committee on Environment and Public 
 Works of the Senate, the Committee on Agriculture, 
 Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Subcommittee 
 on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of 
 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the 
 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
 Representatives, the Committee on Agriculture of the 
 House of Representatives, the Subcommittee on Commerce, 
 Justice, Science, and Related Agencies of the Committee 
 on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and 
 make publicly available, a report--
            (i) describing the review conducted under 
 paragraph

    (1) ; and
            (ii) that includes--
            (I) recommendations on filling 
 knowledge gaps that warrant further 
 scientific inquiry; and
            (II) findings from the reports of 
 work groups submitted under subsection
            (d) (2)
            (C) .
        (B) Interim progress report.--Not later than 1 year 
 after the date the Research Task Force is established, 
 the Chair of the Research Task Force shall submit to 
 the individuals and entities described in subparagraph
        (A) and make publicly available an interim progress 
 report describing the review conducted under paragraph

    (1) .
            (d) Administrative Matters.--

    (1) Vice chairperson.--The Research Task Force shall select 
 a Vice Chair by vote from among the members of the Research 
 Task Force.

    (2) Work groups.--
        (A) In general.--The Research Task Force--
            (i) not later than 30 days after the date 
 of the establishment of the Research Task 
 Force, shall establish a work group focused 
 specifically on the research needs associated 
 with quahog (hard clams) populations in Rhode 
 Island and across the East Coast;
            (ii) not later than 30 days after the date 
 of the establishment of the Research Task 
 Force, shall establish a work group focused on 
 the current and potential future impacts of 
 climate change on bivalve populations in East 
 Coast States; and
            (iii) may establish additional regionally 
 or stock focused work groups within the 
 Research Task Force, as members determine 
 appropriate.
        (B) Composition.--Each work group established under 
 this subsection shall--
            (i) consist of not less than 5 individuals 
 who--
            (I) are knowledgeable about the 
 species, issue, or region under 
 consideration; and
            (II) shall include at least 1 
 member of the Research Task Force, 
 though the others need not be; and
            (ii) be balanced in terms of stakeholder 
 representation, including commercial and 
 aquaculture fisheries, as well as experts in 
 statistical, biological, economic, social, or 
 other scientific information as relevant to the 
 work group's focus.
            (C) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
 the Research Task Force is established, each work group 
 established under this subsection shall submit a report 
 with the work group's findings to the Research Task 
 Force.

    (3) Compensation.--Each member of the Research Task Force 
 and each member of a work group shall serve without 
 compensation.

    (4) Expenses.--A member of the Research Task Force and a 
 member of a work group shall be allowed travel expenses, 
 including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized 
 for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 
 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or 
 regular place of business of the member in the performance of 
 the duties of the Research Task Force.

    (5) Administrative support.--The Secretary of Commerce 
 shall provide such administrative support as is necessary for 
 the Research Task Force and its work groups to carry out their 
 duties, which may include support for virtual or in-person 
 participation.

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.
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