SPEAR Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 1150

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Animals

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-07: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Last Updated

2025-03-11T17:56:29Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The SPEAR Act of 2025 aims to protect Wisconsin's successful management of lake sturgeon populations by exempting them from federal protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. It recognizes the state's effective conservation efforts and cultural traditions, ensuring that local practices like the annual sturgeon spearing season can continue without federal interference.

Key Provisions

• Findings: The bill outlines Congress's recognition of:
• The cultural significance of lake sturgeon (a type of fish, Acipenser fulvescens) in Wisconsin, particularly around Lake Winnebago and the Winnebago System.
• Wisconsin's leadership in sturgeon management through partnerships involving the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), groups like Sturgeon for Tomorrow and the Sturgeon Guard, and local conservationists.
• The success of a comprehensive state management plan, resulting in one of North America's largest and most sustainable sturgeon populations.
• The role of the annual spearing season in collecting data (e.g., fish length, weight, sex) via mandatory registration stations to monitor population health and enforce harvest limits.
• The season's importance as a community event that supports local economies and traditions.
• Exclusion from ESA: Amends Section 4(a) of the ESA to prohibit the U.S. Secretary of the Interior (who oversees the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) from listing any Wisconsin population of lake sturgeon as "threatened" (likely to become endangered) or "endangered" (at risk of extinction).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The ESA currently allows the Secretary to determine if species or populations are threatened or endangered based on scientific data, triggering federal protections like habitat safeguards and harvest restrictions.
• This bill adds a new exception (paragraph 4) to Section 4(a), creating a carve-out specifically for Wisconsin's lake sturgeon populations. It limits federal authority, prioritizing state management over national ESA rules in this case, without affecting other states or sturgeon populations.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Restricts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's ability to intervene in Wisconsin's sturgeon management, potentially reducing federal oversight and enforcement costs but limiting national consistency in species protection.
• On Citizens: Preserves Wisconsin's spearing season, benefiting anglers, families, and communities by maintaining access to a traditional activity. It supports data-driven sustainability, ensuring long-term population health without federal bans.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could influence cross-border conservation discussions (e.g., with Canada, where sturgeon migrate), as the bill focuses on state-specific exemptions.
• Broader Effects: Encourages state-led conservation models but risks uneven protections if other states lack similar success, potentially affecting overall species recovery.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Wisconsin Residents and Communities: Local fishers, sportsmen, and businesses near Lake Winnebago who rely on the spearing season for recreation and income.
• Conservation Groups: Organizations like Sturgeon for Tomorrow, the Sturgeon Advisory Committee, and the Sturgeon Guard, which collaborate on management and data collection.
• State Government: Wisconsin DNR, which gains autonomy to continue its proven plan without federal listings.
• Federal Agencies: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whose listing authority is curtailed for this species in one state.
• Indigenous and Cultural Groups: Communities on Lake Winnebago, where sturgeon holds cultural importance.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Introduces a targeted exemption to the ESA, which could be challenged in court if seen as undermining the law's scientific basis for listings (ESA requires decisions based on the best available data). It reinforces state sovereignty in wildlife management under the 10th Amendment (reserving powers to states).
• Constitutional: Balances federal authority (under the Commerce Clause, which supports ESA) with state rights, potentially setting a precedent for more localized exemptions in environmental law.
• Political: Highlights tensions between federal uniformity and state innovation, appealing to regional interests in conservation and economic traditions. It may encourage similar bills for other species or states, influencing debates on federal overreach in environmental policy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8]

Cosponsors (5)

Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6], Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7], Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1], Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-07: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
• 2025-02-07: Introduced in House
• 2025-02-07: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-07 — PDF (4 pages)