Turtle trapping impact debated

While the amount of turtles harvested is increasing, there isn’t a universal consensus on the threat to their habitats or existence.

State wildlife officials sent a proposal to Gov. Terry Branstad in February that would have limited the trapping season for certain types of turtles, but the governor hasn’t yet given the approval needed to send the proposal to the Iowa Natural Resource Commission. The proposal, which would limit the trapping season of wild painted, smooth and spiny softshell and snapping turtles from July 16 to Dec. 31 to prevent the decline of the population, as those species have a mating season that is typically in the late spring.

The Sierra Club of Iowa is one of the groups most in favor of limiting the trapping season; Iowa is one of 10 states that doesn’t limit annual turtle trapping with calendar start and end dates. Keri Van Zante, the director of Jasper County Conservation, said it isn’t clear, at this time, what impact a diminished turtle population would mean to the county’s wetlands.

“I am unsure of the effect this will have on us, as I don’t have any data on turtle trapping in Jasper County,” Van Zante said. “I’m not sure if it is a high number or not.”

In March, New Jersey made one of the more significant recent moves regarding turtle-trapping restrictions, ending the commercial harvest season about two weeks before its planned March 31 closing date. A news release about the change says extreme measures were needed to protect turtles, especially the diamondback terrapin.

Turtles are harvested primarily for gourmet cuisine, and are sold as pets. Demand for turtle meat is rising, particularly increasing in Asia, where the meat is used in soup and other dishes. The Sierra Club sent a letter to Newton Daily News and other media, calling for citizens to contact the governor and encourage tighter restrictions on turtle trapping.

“Once the turtles have been removed from a water body, turtles have great difficulty re-establishing their populations,” the letter states. “The ongoing population health is fragile, and could easily result in over-harvest if adequate and proper monitoring is not pursued.  Consequently, the Iowa Chapter supports annually monitoring the populations of the four commercially harvested turtle species to determine appropriate numbers allowed for harvest.  The Chapter also supports authorizing the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to close the season for any turtle species that faces population declines.”

The Iowa DNR hasn’t released specific Jasper County data about turtles, but it does have the statewide total poundage of harvested turtles by year. The amount has risen from about 30,000 pounds per year in the late 1980s to more than 230,000 pounds in 2013.

The number of licensed commercial harvesters has also tripled during that span, going from fewer than 40 to more than 150. The Iowa Sierra Club said that in addition to trapping pressures, the state’s turtles face challenges in loss of habitat, poor water quality and losses due to predators.

Turtles do have a history of making a comeback. In New Jersey, terrapins decreased dramatically by the 1930s, due primarily to harvesting for food but numbers started increasing again by the 1960s before returning to an at-risk status in recent decades due to habitat loss, drowning in crab traps, and vehicle strikes.

Van Zante is not convinced any season or limitations would necessarily need to be permanent.

“I look for this to be similar to the past situation with otters or bobcats,” Van Zante said. “Both were over-hunted and over trapped and then became protected.  Now, both are up in population — and restrictions have been lessened.”

Citizens can voice their feedback to the governor at this address: www.governor.iowa.gov/constituent-services/register-an-opinion

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com