Alaska's Congressional delegation has introduced legislation calling for the U.S. Department of Commerce to set catch limits for Alaska Native whaling communities if the International Whaling Commission fails to act on a request for a six-year extension of current quotas.

The current limits are set to expire at the end of the year.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) introduced the bill in the Senate Tuesday. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) is sponsoring an identical bill in the House.

A delegation press release says the legislation is a precautionary move should the whaling commission fail to act on the quotas-extension request at its meeting next month in Panama because of political differences over other issues.

The Alaska Whaling Commission say the legislation sends an important message to the IWC.