SPEAR Act

HR 7037, the SPEAR Act, amends the Endangered Species Act to prevent the federal government from listing lake sturgeon populations in Wisconsin as threatened or endangered. It specifically excludes Wisconsin's lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act by modifying Section 4(a) of the law. The bill directly affects Wisconsin's lake sturgeon populations and preserves the state's existing management program, including the annual sturgeon spearing season, which is managed through mandatory data collection and harvest caps. This change ensures Wisconsin's successful, locally managed sturgeon fishery and cultural traditions remain unaffected by federal endangered species determinations.