Sturgeon Conservation and Sustainability Act

This legislation proposes to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish specific exemptions for sturgeon. Its core purpose is to facilitate certain activities involving sturgeon that are legally held in captivity or controlled environments by excluding them from standard ESA prohibitions and interagency consultation requirements. The bill specifies that sturgeon farmed and legally held in captivity or a controlled environment as of the enactment date, along with their progeny, will not be subject to the prohibitions of ESA Section 9(a)(1) or the interagency cooperation mandates of Section 7(a)(2). This exemption remains valid until the sturgeon or its progeny are intentionally returned to a wild state. Furthermore, individuals holding such sturgeon must maintain and provide documentation to demonstrate their eligibility for this status, with record-keeping requirements designed to avoid unnecessary duplication of existing regulations.