Full Text
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 649 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 649
Raising awareness of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens).
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 18, 2024
Mr. Welch submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Raising awareness of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens).
Whereas lake sturgeon are one of the largest North American freshwater fish and can live for 150 years or longer; Whereas lake sturgeon are considered living fossils, as their lineage dates back to the time of dinosaurs, making them one of the oldest fish species still in existence; Whereas lake sturgeon are slow to reproduce as they may not spawn until they are 15 to 25 years old and they only spawn every 4 years on average; Whereas lake sturgeon are found across the Great Lakes, northeastern United States, and southeastern Canada; Whereas lake sturgeon are bottom-dwelling fish that require extensive areas of shallow water to feed on a wide variety of organisms; Whereas historical overfishing, invasive species, and habitat degradation have caused declines in the population of local lake sturgeon; Whereas many States list lake sturgeon as an endangered, threatened, or otherwise protected species; Whereas lake sturgeon serve an important role as an indicator of ecosystem health; Whereas lake sturgeon attract the attention of the public because of their large size and prehistoric body; Whereas many Federal agencies, States, Tribes, and local communities are collaborating on lake sturgeon management programs that are reestablishing healthy lake sturgeon populations; and Whereas lake sturgeon have cultural importance for many indigenous communities, representing a traditional food source: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate encourages-- (1) continued collaboration among Federal, State, Tribal, and other partners to manage and increase lake sturgeon populations across their extensive range; (2) continued efforts to identify, protect, and restore the habitat of lake sturgeon; (3) continued efforts to prevent and control invasive species and restore the reproductive habitat of lake sturgeon; (4) increased public awareness of lake sturgeon; and (5) education of anglers and local communities on the proper ways to handle lake sturgeon if accidentally caught.