118 HR 6393 IH: Sturgeon Conservation and Sustainability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2023-11-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 6393IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 13, 2023Mr. Waltz (for himself, Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida, and Mr. Dunn of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesA BILLTo amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to allow certain activities to be conducted with respect to sturgeon held in captivity or in a controlled environment in the United States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Sturgeon Conservation and Sustainability Act.

2.

Sturgeon held in captivity or controlled environments in the United States

Section 9(b) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1538(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:(3)

Sturgeon

(A)

In general

Subsection (a)(1) and section 7(a)(2) shall not apply to—(i)a sturgeon farmed in the United States that is legally held in captivity or in a controlled environment as of the date of enactment of this paragraph, until such time as the sturgeon is intentionally returned to a wild state; or(ii)progeny of a sturgeon described in clause (i), until such time as the progeny is intentionally returned to a wild state.(B)

Demonstration; requirements

(i)

In general

Any person holding any sturgeon or progeny described in subparagraph (A) shall—(I)be able to demonstrate that the sturgeon or progeny qualifies as a sturgeon or progeny, as applicable, described in that subparagraph; and(II)maintain and submit to the Secretary, on request of the Secretary, such inventories, documentation, and records as the Secretary may, by regulation, require as being reasonably appropriate to carry out the purposes of this paragraph.(ii)

Requirements

Requirements described in clause (i)(II) shall not unnecessarily duplicate the requirements of other rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary under this Act..