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To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to exclude certain populations of the lake sturgeon from the authority of such Act.
Summary
This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the federal government from listing any population of lake sturgeon in Wisconsin as threatened or endangered under the Act. The bill includes findings that Wisconsin has successfully managed lake sturgeon populations through collaboration between state agencies, conservation groups, and local communities, and that the Lake Winnebago system supports one of the largest and most sustainable sturgeon populations in North America. The bill cites the state's annual controlled sturgeon spearing season, which collects detailed harvest data and is described as important for population management and local economies. By exempting Wisconsin lake sturgeon populations from ESA protections, the bill allows Wisconsin to continue managing the species under its own state authority.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8] (R-WI)
5 cosponsors
Actions (2)
- Feb 7, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Feb 7, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 7, 2025
Mr. Wied (for himself, Mr. Grothman, and Mr. Tiffany) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to exclude certain populations of the lake sturgeon from the authority of such Act.
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 “Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations Act of 2025” or the “SPEAR Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN POPULATIONS OF LAKE STURGEON UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) holds a special place in the cultural fabric of Wisconsin, especially for the communities located on Lake Winnebago and the Winnebago System.
(2) Through the staunch dedication and close public-private collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, the Sturgeon Advisory Committee, the Sturgeon Guard, and local fishing, sportsmen, and conservation groups, Wisconsin has become the global leader in lake sturgeon management.
(3) As a result of these efforts and the development and implementation of a comprehensive management plan, the Lake Winnebago system is home to a thriving lake sturgeon population, one of the largest in North America, and the most successful sustainable sturgeon fisheries in the world.
(4) An integral component of this management plan is the annual sturgeon spearing season that is meticulously managed and provides the data necessary, along with data from detailed spawning assessments, to maintain an accurate account of population levels needed and allowable maximum harvest rates to ensure the health and sustainability of the species.
(5) Mandatory registration stations are established to collect detailed data on the length, weight, sex, and tag status of each harvested fish and ensure strict seasonal harvest caps are followed.
(6) The spearing season has grown into a unique cultural event filled with strong traditions and community ties, drawing participants from throughout Wisconsin and many other States, and is crucial to the livelihoods of local communities and small businesses near the Winnebago System who rely on the annual season.
(7) It is vital that this long-standing and cherished tradition be protected and that Wisconsin is allowed to continue its successful Winnebago System and statewide management of lake sturgeon.
(b) Exclusion From Listing.—Section 4(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “The Secretary shall by regulation” and inserting “Except as provided in paragraph
(4), the Secretary shall by regulation”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(4) Applicability to Lake Sturgeon.—The Secretary may not make a determination under this subsection that any population of the lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in Wisconsin is threatened or endangered.”. <all>
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