This ban is mainly to curb the export of animals to Asia for food. I don't want a total ban, but if that is what it takes to keep these turtles from ending up in China, then fine. I am sick and tired of people catching turtles in the thousands and collapsing eco systems for profit. WAKE UP ALL YOU TURTLE THEIVES!!

The reason I say this.
Well, I live in Iowa, an unregulated catch state for snappers, soft shells, painteds. It is rediculous, I know a guy that caught over 2 tons in one season from one area for food markets in Asia. Now any reasonable person knows this is unsustainable in the long run. He has been doing this for decades and not just in Iowa.

I understand some peoples desire to not have any regulation or rules on this. Well, you should have regulated yourself and kept in mind what would happen if your greed caught up with you!

So, I am not for general regulations and believe we should be able to keep what we want. In the instance, it is a needed and well over-due regulation.

What I believe should be regulated instead is the export market. The law should be a total ban on the export of any turtle over 2 inches overall length. If they implemented a ban like this then they wouldn't need to ban the catching of turtles because it wouldn't be worth the time to try and find hatchlings. In most states collecting eggs is illegal so if the exporters are not breeding themselves they will eventually go out of business or go to jail for nest robbing. Also, there should be a ban on the export of turtle meat. This would curb the sale of adults to turtle slaughter facilities. The reason for this ban would be to be sure that adults are not being caught, slaughtered, and sold for export.

I understand there will be disagreement with this, but I don't care because over the past twenty years of being in this hobby I am completely convinced that unless you take a hard look and firm stand some hobbyist and collectors will just keep doing what they have been doing to line their own pockets with no concern for our native plants and animals. This has gone on long enough.

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