See related article: Some Concerned by Jump in Iowa Turtle Trapping Chicago Tribune 3/25/09 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-turtleharvest,0,4895885.story Excerpts from the Center for Biological Diversity news release March 11, 2009 Note: Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter and Tallgrass Prairie Audubon joined this petition in Iowa. Conservation and Health Groups Petition Eight Southern and Midwestern States to End Unsustainable Commercial Harvest of Wild Turtles Turtles Contaminated With Mercury and Other Toxins Sold as Food The Center for Biological Diversity and two dozen other conservation and health groups recently filed emergency petitions with eight Midwestern and southern states, seeking to end unsustainable commercial harvest of freshwater turtles. The coalition submitted administrative petitions to state wildlife and health agencies in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, asking for a ban on commercial harvest of freshwater turtles in all public and private waters. The commercial-harvest regulations are needed to prevent further depletions of native turtle populations and to protect public health. Freshwater turtles collected in these states and sold domestically as food or exported to international food markets are often contaminated with mercury, PCBs, and pesticides. Wildlife exporters and dealers are commercially harvesting massive and unsustainable numbers of wild freshwater turtles from southern and midwestern states that continue to allow unlimited and unregulated take of turtles. The few turtle surveys that have been conducted in southern and midwestern states show depletions and extinction of freshwater turtles in many streams. Herpetologists have reported drastic reductions in numbers and even the disappearance of many southern map turtle species. Harvests and exports of wild turtles caught in the United States have skyrocketed--most wild turtles harvested in the United States are exported to supply food markets in Asia, primarily China, where turtle consumption rates have soared. The coalition has now submitted regulatory petitions to every remaining state in the United States that has unrestricted commercial harvest or inadequate harvest regulations for freshwater turtles. The petitioning groups are the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for North American Herpetology, Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management, Center for Food Safety, Audubon Society of Central Arkansas (AR), St. John's Riverkeeper (FL), Satilla Riverkeeper (GA), Altamaha Riverkeeper (GA), Tallgrass Prairie Audubon Society (IA), Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter (IA), Arkansas River Coalition (KS), Kentucky Heartwood (KY), Gulf Restoration Network (LA), Ozark Rivers Chapter of the National Audubon Society (MO), Miami Valley Audubon Society (OH), Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society (OH), Oklahoma Chapter Sierra Club (OK), Charleston Chapter Audubon Society (SC), Congaree Riverkeeper (SC), Tennessee Chapter Sierra Club (TN), Tennessee Herpetological Society (TN), Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association (TN), Save The Cumberland (TN), Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club (TX), and Pineywoods Group Sierra Club (TX). Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee continue to allow unlimited commercial take of all sizes and ages of most species of native turtles, using unlimited quantities of lethal hoopnets and box traps in public and private waters. Although some of these states protect rarer turtle species, many state and federally protected freshwater turtles are incidentally harvested and sold since turtle traps do not distinguish the species captured, and collectors often misidentify protected species captured in traps that appear similar to non-protected turtles. Hoopnets and box traps are lethal devices that also capture, maim, kill, and drown protected turtle species, non-target fish, mammals, and migratory birds, and in some areas, endangered species such as the federally threatened American alligator. State Turtle Harvest Information Iowa Iowa allows commercial turtle collectors to legally take an unlimited number of common snapping turtles, softshell turtles and painted turtles with a commercial turtle license using an unlimited number of hoopnets and boxtraps. Nonresident dealers can only take these three species from the Missouri, Mississippi and Bog Sioux Rivers. Iowa law prohibits the harvest of rare turtle species including alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temmickii), chicken turtles (Deirochelys reticularia) and Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). However, these species overlap in range with non-protected turtles in Iowa and are caught in baited traps set by commercial collectors. Trappers often can not distinguish alligator snappers from common snappers and coin both species simply as "snappers" or "loggerheads." To the untrained eye chicken turtles are strikingly similar in appearance to red eared sliders and river cooters. Collectors who can distinguish these species and who realize their high value for the international pet trade may purposely harvest and portray them as common snappers and red eared sliders and sell these to dealers in states where their commerce is legal. The largest known Midwest state dealer of common snapping turtles has operated in Iowa for more than thirty years. Iowa does not track the amount of turtles harvested from Iowa waters and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources does not monitor health or population trends of wild turtle populations. A bill that would prohibit the sale, barter, or trade of turtles is currently being considered by a subcommittee in the Iowa legislature. About the Center for Biological Diversity: At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild plants and animals. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive. We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/