Federal regulators are considering whether to list lake sturgeon as an endangered species, with a decision expected by this summer for rare fish that dates back to prehistoric times.

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, who represents Northeast Michigan in Congress, wants to prevent that.

Presque Isle County’s Black Lake is one of two places in the U.S. where spearfishing lake sturgeon is currently allowed.

Opponents of the endangered species listing worry the listing would ban lake sturgeon fishing, an important tourism and cultural draw in northern Michigan.

Proponents of the listing point to the small populations of the large fish. Though populations have rebounded in recent years thanks to rehabilitation efforts, only about 30,000 of the fish exist in the wild, with fewer than a half-dozen populations of 1,000 fish or more.

Black Lake has about 1,200 of the fish.

Bergman’s Sturgeon Protected and Exempt from Absurd Regulations — or SPEAR — Act would prohibit the endangered species listing. State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, who represents Northeast Michigan in the Legislature but would not get a chance to vote on the SPEAR Act, issued a statement in support.

We earlier urged Northeast Michiganders to communicate with the feds about the endangered listing proposal by visiting fws.gov/species/lake-sturgeon-acipenser-fulvescens.

Now we urge Northeast Michiganders to reach out to Bergman’s office to share your thoughts on his SPEAR Act.

He can be reached at Bergman.constituent@mail.house.gov or 202-225-4735.