COLUMBUS, Ohio— 4/10/17, Press Release
As
of today, the Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club Ohio have
sent more than 3,800 letters asking the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources to end unchecked commercial collection of the state’s wild
turtles.
Turtle
traders in Ohio can now legally collect unlimited numbers of common
snapping and softshell turtles to process and sell domestically or
export for Asian food and medicinal markets. The letters support a petition
seeking a ban on for-profit turtle trading filed by the Center for
Biological Diversity and several Ohio-based conservation organizations
in January.
The state agency has not yet responded to the letters or petition.
“For-profit
turtle traders should not be allowed to put the state’s turtles at
risk,” said Collette Adkins, a Center biologist and senior attorney who
authored the January petition. “Ohio desperately needs limits on the
number of snapping and softshell turtles trappers can take from the
wild. Selling so many turtles for meat is bad for the turtles, of
course, but also for all of us who care about the health of the state’s
waterways and wetlands.”
Under
current regulations in Ohio, anyone with an annual fishing license may
trap and sell unlimited numbers of common snappers, spiny softshells and
smooth softshells. Although Ohio law prohibits live export of turtles,
traders can sell live turtles within the state or process the animals to
sell across state lines or overseas for meat and medicinal markets.
Also, because turtles bioaccumulate toxins from prey and burrow in
contaminated
sediment, turtle meat is often laced with mercury, PCBs and pesticides,
posing a health risk. Adult turtles are also taken from the wild to
breed hatchlings for the international pet trade.
“All
of our neighboring states ban or limit for-profit turtle trapping, and
Ohio should too,” said Aaron Acus-Souders, a clean water advocate from
the Ohio Chapter of the Sierra Club.
None
of the states that share a border with Ohio allow unlimited commercial
collection of turtles. Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana and West Virginia
prohibit all commercial collection of turtles, and Pennsylvania enforces
strict bag limits.
During its April 12 meeting,
the Ohio Wildlife Council will accept public comment on the state’s
turtle regulations. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the
Wildlife District One Office in Columbus.
Contact:
Collette Adkins, Center for Biological Diversity, (651) 955-3821, cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org
Aaron Acus-Souders, Sierra Club (Clean Water Campaign), (937)-903-5396, Aaron.AcusSouders@SierraClub.org
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