A resolution raising awareness of lake sturgeon.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 683 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 683

Raising awareness of lake sturgeon.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 22, 2026

Mr. Welch submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

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RESOLUTION

Raising awareness of lake sturgeon.

Whereas lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are some of the largest North American freshwater fishes 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 among the oldest fish species still in existence; Whereas lake sturgeon are slow to reproduce as they may not spawn until they are at least 10 to 30 years old, and they only spawn every 4 years on average; Whereas lake sturgeon are found across the Great Lakes, the 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 an ecosystem's 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 collaboration with Canada to jointly manage and increase lake sturgeon populations in our shared waters; (3) continued efforts to identify, protect, and restore the habitat of lake sturgeon; (4) continued efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species and restore the reproductive habitat of lake sturgeon; (5) increased public awareness of lake sturgeon; and (6) the education of anglers and local communities on the proper ways to handle lake sturgeon if caught. <all>