This bill amends the Endangered Species Act to create an exemption for sturgeon that are legally raised in captivity or controlled environments, as well as their offspring, allowing certain activities with these fish that would normally be prohibited under endangered species protections. The exemption applies only to sturgeon and their descendants that remain in captivity and have not been deliberately released into the wild. Anyone holding captive sturgeon under this exemption must be able to prove their fish qualifies for the exception and must keep detailed records and inventories that the government can request and review, though the bill specifies these record-keeping requirements should avoid unnecessary duplication of existing regulatory requirements. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines beyond the effective date at enactment. This legislation primarily affects commercial sturgeon farms and facilities that breed sturgeon in controlled settings, potentially streamlining regulations for the caviar and aquaculture industries while maintaining protections for wild sturgeon populations.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.