Green Bay Reporter

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) have introduced the Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations (SPEAR) Act, a bill aimed at safeguarding the annual sturgeon spearing on the Winnebago system in Wisconsin. The proposed legislation seeks to proactively exempt the state of Wisconsin from any listing of lake sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently conducting a species status assessment of lake sturgeon and contemplating whether to list the species under the Endangered Species Act. If listed, it could pose a threat to the established population management and overlook the cultural importance and economic impact of lake sturgeon and sturgeon spearing in Northeast Wisconsin.

Representative Gallagher emphasized the significance of sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin, stating, "Sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin is a long-cherished tradition and crucial to the livelihoods of our communities near Lake Winnebago. Wisconsin is the global leader in lake sturgeon management, and these efforts should not be threatened by a federal government agency's nationwide, one-size-fits-all listing. This common-sense bill will ensure both sturgeon spearing and Wisconsin’s conservation success story will continue for generations to come."

In December 2023, Rep. Gallagher led a bipartisan letter, co-signed by Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), as well as other representatives from Wisconsin, expressing concerns about the potential listing of lake sturgeon as an endangered species. The letter highlighted the importance of sturgeon spearing to Wisconsin and praised the state's management of sturgeon populations.

Dr. Ron Bruch, former Chief of Fisheries and Leader of the statewide Sturgeon Management Team for the WI Department of Natural Resources, voiced his support for the SPEAR Act, stating, "I fully support passage of the Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations Act, or the SPEAR Act, currently being considered by Congress. Wisconsin does not list lake sturgeon as endangered or threatened in state waters, and has in place a sturgeon program considered a world model for effective management and recovery, and as such should be exempt from any Federal ESA listing of the species."

Sturgeon for Tomorrow, a partnership with the WI DNR, which includes five Sturgeon for Tomorrow chapter Presidents around the Winnebago System, expressed their opposition to the federal listing of lake sturgeon in Wisconsin and their support for the proposed SPEAR Act. They believe that the existing program effectively manages lake sturgeon and that additional federal intervention is unnecessary.

Don Mielke, Head of Winnebago System Sturgeon Guard, also lent his support to the bill, stating, "I am strongly supporting this bill."

As the USFWS is expected to make a decision on the listing in June, the SPEAR Act offers a preemptive solution ahead of the upcoming spearing season.

The proposed legislation aims to preserve the cultural heritage and economic benefits associated with sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin while recognizing the state's successful conservation efforts.