# Not frogs, but Florida Turtles are getting help!



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

We can only hope that similar legislation can and will be available to help amphibians someday soon.

*Florida Soon Will Have The Strongest Conservation Measures For The Harvest Of Freshwater Turtles In The Country June 17, 2009, by Patricia Behnke, Press Release FWC*

Florida soon will have the strongest conservation measures for the harvest of freshwater turtles in the country as a result of a vote taken by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Wednesday in Crystal River. The FWC approved a new rule banning the commercial harvest of freshwater turtles in Florida. 

"This is a legacy vote," said Brian Yablonski, FWC commissioner, as he made the motion to approve the rule. "This decision may be one of Florida's greatest conservation stories." 

Twenty-four members of the public addressed the Commission as they prepared to vote on the rule. More than half of the speakers supported the rule. 

"This is the right thing to do," said Rodney Barreto, chairman of the FWC. "Florida has become the leader with this vote." 

Tim Breault, director of the FWC's Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, presented the new rule to the Commission. 

"Florida has such a rich diversity of turtles," Breault said. "It is fitting we have the most comprehensive set of protections and conservation measures for freshwater turtles in the United States." 

The rule prohibits taking turtles from the wild that are listed on Florida's imperiled species list. Also prohibited are species that look similar to the imperiled species, which include common snapping turtles and cooters. In addition, collecting freshwater turtle eggs will be prohibited. Individuals will be allowed to take one freshwater turtle per day per person from the wild for noncommercial use. The transport of more than one turtle per day is prohibited. 

"To the commercial fishermen who came today, I want to say your voice has been heard," said Commissioner Dwight Stephenson. "But we're charged with protecting these species, and this new rule is necessary at this time." 

Some turtle farms depend on collection of wild freshwater turtles. With the new rule, turtle farms, under a tightly controlled process, will be allowed to collect turtles to establish reproduction in captivity so that farms can become self-sustaining to lessen their dependence on collection of turtles from the wild. 

"I believe this industry should be moved to aquaculture. That's the logical place for it to be," Barreto said. 

The closed season for the take of softshell turtles, May 1 to July 31, will not change under the new rule. 

"I'm proud of this Commission," Margaret Gunzburger, a Florida resident, told the Commission. "And I'm proud to be a Floridian today."
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6) Final Rules On Florida Freshwater Turtles

 1. Freshwater Turtle Rule (Presentation 5/27/09)
 1. 68A-25.002, General Provisions for Taking, Possession and Sale of Reptiles - The proposed final rule would address the taking and possession of wild native Florida freshwater turtles as follows: Selling native Florida turtles or their eggs taken from the wild would be prohibited. Take of turtle eggs from the wild would be prohibited. 
Take, possession or transportation of turtles listed as Species of Special concern [alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii), Barbour's map turtles (Graptemys barbouri) and Suwannee cooters (Pseudemys suwanniensis)] would be prohibited. Furthermore, the take of cooters (Pseudemys sp.), Escambia Map Turtle (Graptemys ernsti) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) would be prohibited. Softshell turtle (Apalone sp.) collection would not be allowed from May 1 to July 31. Each person may take only one turtle daily of the species for which take is allowed. Turtles may only be taken by hand, dip net, minnow seine or baited hook. The possession limit of two would remain for Escambia map turtles (Graptemys ernsti), diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin), box turtles (Terrapene carolina), and loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor). The proposed language also would establish a maximum transportation limit of one turtle, unless the transporter has a license for sale or exhibition of wildlife, aquaculture certification from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or documentation that their turtles were legally obtained (proof of purchase). Certified turtle aquaculture facilities would be allowed to collect wild turtles as brood stock under a permitting system that would be reviewed in the calendar year 2011. (Proposed Rule Notice 5/27/09)
 2. The following rules are being proposed to correct references to and inconsistencies with the above proposed rule change. 
 If the following proposed rules are approved both for advertisement and subsequent filing for adoption, Commission staff would file the rules as allowed by 120.54(3) Florida Statutes, without further hearing
 1. 68A-23.003, Commercial Fishing Devices; Provision for Use in Certain Waters. The proposed draft rule would remove references to turtles to avoid conflicts with the changes to 68A-25.002. (Proposed Rule Notice 5/27/09)
 2. 68A-23.012, Special Regulations on Lake Okeechobee. The proposed draft rule would remove the following language to avoid conflicts with changes to 68A-25.002: "No peninsular cooter (Chrysemys floridana peninsularis), Florida red-bellied turtle (Chrysemys nelsoni), Florida snapping turtle (Chelydra osceola), or Florida soft-shelled turtle (Trionyx ferox) with a carapace length less than eight inches may be taken or sold." (Proposed Rule Notice 5/27/09)


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

its about time, i think florida and a lot of the southern states get away with murder when it comes to fresh water turtles.


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