----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Jeff Miller <[log in to unmask]> To: 'Jeff Miller' <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:51:58 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Georgia considering ban on freshwater turtle harvest - contact your legislators today! The Georgia state legislature is considering a bill to ban commercial collection of fresh water turtles in Georgia. The House Game, Fish and Parks Committee will hold a meeting on the bill tomorrow, Tuesday, March 16, at 3 pm. If you live in Georgia, please contact the Committee members today and also alert your membership and conservation groups in Georgia to support a ban on commercial harvest of freshwater turtles. The Committee members are: Bob Lane, Cecily Hill, Jon Burns, Martin Scott, Sean Jerguson, Tom McCall, Elly Dobbs, Roger Bruce, Sharon Beasley-Teague, Glenn Baker, David Knight, and Al Williams. You can find contact info for Georgia legislators here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/alpha.html Find out more about our campaign to protect freshwater turtles from overharvest: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/southern_and_midwestern_freshwa ter_turtles/index.html A summary of regulatory actions by other southern states in the past year on freshwater turtle harvest: Florida: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted in June 2009 to ban almost all commercial harvest of freshwater turtles from public and private waters in Florida. Turtle farms will have limited ability to collect wild freshwater turtles for a few years to establish reproduction in captivity. Individuals will be allowed to take one freshwater turtle per day per person from the wild for noncommercial use. The Florida rule prohibits taking any turtles from the wild, for commercial or personal purposes, that are listed on Florida's imperiled species list, or species that look similar to imperiled species, such as common snapping turtles and cooters. Collecting freshwater turtle eggs is prohibited. The transport of more than one turtle per day is prohibited. Texas: In 2007, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department prohibited all commercial harvest of turtles from public waters in Texas. It allowed continued unlimited harvest of three native turtle species from the state's private waters. South Carolina: The South Carolina legislature passed a turtle harvest bill in April 2009, the South Carolina Turtle Export Bill, which was signed by the governor and is now law. The bill makes it unlawful to remove more than 10 turtles from the wild in South Carolina at one time and more than 20 turtles in one year, for nine native species. This is an improvement, but because commercial harvest is still allowed and will likely not be well monitored, it creates an avenue for illegal export of turtles from the state. Oklahoma: Oklahoma in 2008 enacted a three-year moratorium on commercial harvest of turtles from public waters while studying the status of its wild turtle populations, the effects of commercial harvest, and the potential contamination of turtles sold as food. Arkansas: In 2009 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission voted to leave state turtle harvest regulations unchanged, but will investigate concerns about contaminants in turtles and the impact of harvests. Kentucky: Kentucky's wildlife agency stated it will monitor commercial harvest of three turtle species and review existing harvest restrictions to determine if they provide adequate protection, and the state health department has agreed to test turtles sold as food for contaminants. Tennessee: In 2009 the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency voted against changing state turtle harvest regulations. *************************************** Jeff Miller Conservation Advocate Center for Biological Diversity 351 California Street, Suite 600 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone: (415) 436-9682 x303 Fax: (415) 436-9683 Web site: www.biologicaldiversity.org <file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/jmiller/Application%20Data/Microsoft/ Signatures/www.biologicaldiversity.org> 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 To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp