Posted by:
Aaron
at Mon Mar 17 20:33:39 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Aaron ]
It appears TPWD is going to allow captive breeding of box turtles. Taken from TPWD's website:
Regulations Committee
Commercial Nongame Species Regulations
Permission to Publish
March 2008
I. Executive Summary: The item presents a proposed rulemaking that would amend the commercial nongame species regulations to:
authorize persons in possession of a nongame dealer permit to breed all species of indigenous turtles in captivity, provided breeding stock is lawfully obtained and the offspring are uniquely and permanently marked;
remove the cornsnake (Pantherophis guttata), the House Mouse (Mus musculus), and the rough-footed mud turtle (Kinosternon hirtipes) from the list of species that may not be used in commercial activity.
II. Discussion: Under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 67, the department is required to develop and administer management programs to ensure the continued ability of nongame species of fish and wildlife to perpetuate themselves successfully, and to conduct ongoing investigations of nongame fish and wildlife to develop information on populations, distribution, habitat needs, limiting factors, and any other biological or ecological data to determine appropriate management and regulatory information. The commission is required to establish any limits on the taking, possession, propagation, transportation, importation, exportation, sale, or offering for sale of nongame fish or wildlife that the department considers necessary to manage the species.
In April of 2007, the Commission adopted new rules to govern commercial activity involving nongame species. The new rules provided a "grandfather" provision for personal collections of animals that had been lawful to possess prior to the new rules but became unlawful to possess under the new rules. Many of these collections seem to be turtles of various species. ***********Staff has determined that such persons should be allowed to breed and sell the offspring of turtles that were lawfully obtained, provided the breeding stock and the offspring are permanently and uniquely marked.***************
Another component of the new rules was a list of species that may not be used in commercial activities. The new rules inadvertently included three species on the list that should not have been placed on the list. Under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 67, nongame wildlife is defined as wildlife indigenous to Texas that is not classified as game animals, game birds, game fish, fur-bearing animals, endangered species, alligators, marine penaeid shrimp, or oysters. Neither the cornsnake nor the house mouse is indigenous to Texas, and the rough-footed mud turtle is already listed as a state-threatened species, which means that it cannot be taken or possessed. All three species should be removed from the list.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/meetings/2008/0327/agenda/regulations_committee/
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RE: I support HCU - Aaron, Mon Mar 17 20:33:39 2008