Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to carry out a recovery program for southern sea otter populations along the coast of California.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a Southern Sea Otter Health Assessment Plan; (2) collect and analyze tissue samples from southern sea otters; and (3) submit the tissue to the Secretary of Commerce for inclusion in the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank to allow for managed access to such tissues by other researchers.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) award competitive grants to support research regarding southern sea otters; and (2) establish and appoint the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Implementation Team to make recommendations on overall implementation of the southern sea otter recovery program and research goals and review the recommendations of a Scientific Advisory Subcommittee. Requires the Subcommittee to evaluate the scientific merit and quality of southern sea otter research proposals submitted for funding and make funding recommendations.