blake
Life Member
<span style='font-size: 17pt'>PMA Memberships & Renewals </span> and <span style='font-size: 17pt'>IBA Memberships & Renewals</span>
<span style='font-size: 17pt'>Turtle trapping raises questions in Iowa</span>
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Surging demand for turtle meat in southeast Asia has prompted a huge jump in trapping in Iowa ponds and streams, leading to concerns that populations of the reptiles could suffer permanent damage.
Between 1987 and 2007, harvests in Iowa increased from 29,000 pounds annually to 235,000 pounds. And during that period the number of licensed harvesters more than quadrupled to 175 people.
Fred Janzen, an Iowa State University professor who studies ecology, evolution and organismal biology, said he was alarmed by the increase.
"The biodiversity within this state will be so much poorer off for having these species essentially go extinct,'' Janzen said. "You lose an important component of your ecosystem. And you can have these unforeseen consequences when you lose an important component.''
Concerns over the increased turtle trapping prompted legislation that has been approved in the Iowa House and is now in a Senate subcommittee.
The law would require commercial buyers and harvesters to record theirnames and addresses, as well as species, quantity, pound, sale information and harvesting location.
Separately, the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity has asked officials in Iowa and seven other states to consider banning the commercial harvest of freshwater turtles.
PM
Ron Wyllie
Southwest Iowa IBA Area Representative
rwyllie@iowawhitetail.com
