Florida Proposes Nation's First Freshwater Turtle Harvest Ban

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff will present the draft rule at the commission meeting in Tallahassee on April 15. The draft rule is a first for any state.

"Staff is proposing a draft rule that represents the most comprehensive set of protections and conservation measures for freshwater turtles in the United States," said Tim Breault, the FWC's director of Habitat and Species Conservation.

"Few places in North America have the rich diversity of turtles that we have here in Florida, and this proposed rule ensures their long-term survival," he said.

The draft rule would prohibit taking turtles from the wild that are listed on Florida's imperiled species list, as well as species that look similar to the imperiled species, which include common snapping turtles and cooters. In addition, the collection of eggs would be prohibited.

Individuals would 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 would be prohibited.

Some turtle farms currently depend on the collection of wild freshwater turtles. Under the proposed draft rule, turtle farms, under a tightly controlled process, would be allowed to collect turtles for breeding purposes for a two-year period.

But the staff is proposing a review of this process by 2011, and turtle collection for farms will end if no further action is taken by the commission after the review.

A softshell turtle in Florida (Photo by Kevin Enge courtesy FWC)

Florida's draft rule comes just after conservation and health groups filed emergency petitions with eight midwestern and southern states, seeking to end the commercial harvest of freshwater turtles sold for food in the United States and abroad.

The coalition that filed the petitions on March 11 petitions says that harvests and exports of wild turtles caught in the United States have "skyrocketed" and regulations are needed to prevent further depletions of native turtle populations and to protect public health.

At an FWC hearing in November Florida residents on both sides of the issue made their views crystal clear.

"The fishermen are upset because it's their livelihood, and they believe softshell turtles are plentiful and can sustain a harvest," said Bill Turner, a FWC turtle scientist. "Others want to end the harvest because they believe it could cause turtle populations to decline."

William Shockley, a third-generation fisherman from Okeechobee, takes his son out on weekends to catch turtles and earn some money. He told the meeting he can sell turtles for $1 to $1.50 per pound.

"When they weigh between three and five pounds, we throw them back," Shockley said. "It doesn't do us any good to take the next generation, so we throw back the smaller ones."

Turtle scientist Peter Meylan expressed his concern about the levels of harvest and monitoring, saying the harvest should be banned.

"There isn't any money in the state to do the research needed to develop a minimum sustainable number for harvest," Meylan said. "So in absence of funds, the best thing to do for turtles and the ecosystem is not to allow them to be harvested commercially."

Currently, freshwater turtle harvest is conducted under a rule that took effect October 23, 2008. This restriction limits the harvest of wild Florida freshwater turtles to five per day per person.

Each fisherman with a commercial license will be allowed to harvest an additional 15 Florida softshell turtles per day, for a total of 20 turtles per day.

"Florida softshell turtles lay more eggs than any other freshwater turtle in North America, and this species of freshwater turtle has sustained much higher harvest levels for many years," said Turner.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has an open, public process for developing rules. Commissioners will consider this draft rule at the April 15 Commission meeting.

If approved, the rule would be advertised for a final hearing at the June meeting of the commission meeting in Crystal River.

The public may submit comments to the FWC any time during this rulemaking process and may testify at commission meetings. The public may send comments on the draft rule to turtles@MyFWC.com.

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