Bill > HR1150

This bill, known as the Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations (SPEAR) Act of 2025, aims to modify the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by specifically preventing federal authorities from listing any lake sturgeon population in Wisconsin as threatened or endangered. The bill highlights the successful conservation efforts in Wisconsin, particularly in the Lake Winnebago system, where a comprehensive management plan has resulted in one of the largest and most sustainable lake sturgeon populations in North America. The legislation emphasizes the cultural significance of the annual sturgeon spearing season, which is not only a traditional event drawing participants from multiple states but also serves as a crucial data collection method for monitoring the species' population. The bill argues that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, along with various conservation groups and local stakeholders, have effectively managed the lake sturgeon population through detailed monitoring, mandatory registration stations, and strict harvest caps. By explicitly prohibiting federal endangered species listings for Wisconsin's lake sturgeon populations, the bill aims to preserve local management practices and protect a long-standing community tradition that is economically important to local businesses and communities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1150/all-info