S. 2089, the Sturgeon Conservation and Sustainability Act, modifies the Endangered Species Act to exempt certain captive-bred sturgeon from federal protections related to endangered species. Specifically, the bill allows people and facilities to conduct activities with sturgeon that were legally held in captivity before the bill's enactment, as well as their offspring, without triggering Endangered Species Act restrictions—but only while the fish remain in captivity or controlled environments. Once these fish are intentionally released into the wild, federal protections would apply again. The bill requires that anyone holding these captive sturgeon must be able to prove their fish qualify for the exemption and must maintain records and documentation as requested by federal regulators, though these requirements should avoid duplicating other existing regulatory requirements. The measure was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
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