S.Res. 683

119 SRES 683 IS: Raising awareness of lake sturgeon.
 U.S. Senate
 2026-04-22
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 EN
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 III  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. RES. 683  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    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
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.