WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s announcement that lake sturgeon does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. This announcement comes on the heels of Senator Klobuchar's April 18, 2024 letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams. In her letter, Klobuchar urged the agency to consider the data and feedback provided by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on the success and ongoing progress of managing lake sturgeon populations ahead of making the final determination on the species’s status. 

“From a Minnesota standpoint, this decision was based on the facts and the numbers and was the right call. Minnesota has had decades-long success managing lake sturgeon populations and this will allow that to continue,” said Klobuchar. 

After conducting a thorough species status assessment using the best available science, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 12-month finding shows ongoing management efforts, such as fish stocking, have contributed to the conservation and resiliency of the species. The Fish and Wildlife Service also credited many partners, including states, Tribes, an local organizations across the country for coming together to successfully conserve this species. 

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Director Williams:

As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the determination of lake sturgeon protections under the Endangered Species Act, I ask for careful consideration of the impact that an endangered listing may have on Minnesotans.

Thanks to the hard work by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), local advocacy groups, anglers, and many others interested in protecting this unique fish, Minnesota’s sturgeon population is growing. Areas such as Lake of the Woods and Rainy River have seen the population grow to about 92,000 in 2014, nearly six times the estimate from the late 1980s. Since the lake sturgeon was listed as a special concern species in Minnesota in 1984, the Minnesota DNR worked hard to restore the population’s stability, maintain a consistent supply of fingerlings in basin lakes and tributaries, restore habitat, and modify dams and barriers to improve fish migration and spawning. Minnesota biologists have joined with those in Wisconsin and Michigan to share data with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that demonstrates the best course of action for protecting and supporting the lake sturgeon.

In addition, anglers play an important economic role in many communities near areas that are open to fishing sturgeon during the late spring. Including the sturgeon in species protection could have economic impacts for the local fishing industry including resorts, restaurants, fishing guides, retail stores and bait suppliers.

During this determination period, I urge you to adhere to widely accepted scientific principles, embrace the data and feedback provided by the Minnesota DNR, and consider the decades-long success and ongoing progress of managing lake sturgeon populations. I look forward to working with you to identify and advance practical solutions that will protect the lake sturgeon while also minimizing economic impacts.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

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