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Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The SPEAR Act of 2025 would amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to exclude Wisconsin lake sturgeon populations from federal protection. The bill notes Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago system as a successful, culturally important fishery with a tightly managed annual spearing season, mandatory data collection, and harvest caps. It amends ESA Section 4(a) so that the Secretary may not determine that any Wisconsin lake sturgeon population is threatened or endangered. In short, if enacted, Wisconsin lake sturgeon would not be eligible for ESA listing or protection, and management would remain under state authority rather than federal oversight for those populations.
Key Points
- 1Excludes Wisconsin lake sturgeon populations from ESA listing and protections; the Secretary may not determine Wisconsin populations to be threatened or endangered.
- 2Amends Section 4(a) of the Endangered Species Act to add a new paragraph (4) specifically governing lake sturgeon in Wisconsin.
- 3Justifies the exemption with findings emphasizing Wisconsin’s management success, the Lake Winnebago system, a regulated spearing season, data collection, and the economic and cultural importance to local communities.
- 4Provides a short title: the Sturgeon Protected and Absorb from Absurd Regulations Act of 2025, or the SPEAR Act of 2025.
- 5The exemption applies to Wisconsin populations; it does not definitively state protections for or against non-Wisconsin populations, nor does it address other species or DPS (distinct population segments) beyond lake sturgeon in Wisconsin.
Impact Areas
Primary group/area affected- Wisconsin lake sturgeon populations, especially those in the Lake Winnebago system.- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local stewards, sturgeon spearing communities, and small businesses that rely on the seasonal fishery.Secondary group/area affected- Federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and any future ESA actions impacting lake sturgeon, since federal listing would be precluded for Wisconsin populations.- Other states with lake sturgeon populations and conservation groups monitoring sturgeon status, who may see shifts in overall species protections or in inter-state management dynamics.Additional impacts- Potential legal and policy tension between state and federal authority over endangered species protection.- Possible effects on cross-border or shared habitats if Wisconsin populations are treated differently from populations elsewhere in the species.- Uncertain long-term conservation risk if management relies solely on state standards in the absence of federal ESA protections.
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