When Bluestem's publisher was a child growing up in Southern Minnesota, her family would catch and butcher one common snapping turtle for fried turtle, which is delicious. But as the years went by, we know longer harvested them, however tasty they are, as their numbers seemed to be declining.
We weren't mistaken in that observation. The Minnesota Zoo notes on its entry for the Common snapping turtle:
How they’re doing
In Minnesota, common snapping turtles can be trapped for their meat by licensed trappers. This species was listed by the state as a Species of Special Concern in 1984, because of concerns about possible over-trapping.New trapping rules were added in 2004 to help prevent further decline of this species. In August 2013, the snapping turtle was removed from the Minnesota list of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species. This species has no special federal status.
We no longer catch and eat snappers. Since we've moved to the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, we enjoy them only in a Dakota folktale collected by Amos Oneroad and Alanson Skinner.or when we see them strolling around on their tippy-toes on the BIA back roads.
But turtles in Minnesota continue to be under pressure, says wildlife biologist Christopher Smith, who sits on the Board of Directors for the Center for North American Herpetology (CNAH).
On March 5, Smith testified in favor of first-term Brooklyn Center DFL state representative Samantha Vang's HF749, a bill that end the renewal and transfer of turtle seller and turtle seller's apprentice licenses. Recreational turtle licenses to gather turtles for personal use would remain legal and a person with "an aquatic farm license with a turtle endorsement or a private fish hatchery license with a turtle endorsement" could "sell, obtain, possess, transport, and propagate turtles and turtle eggs."
According to Smith, many states have banned commercial turtle sellers, and those conservation measures have caused more pressure to be put on Minnesota's turtle population--and harvest pressures are not sustainable for the slow-growing creatures.
A few tweets about the hearing--since news about turtles seems to be slow-moving and these ancient reptiles don't see to have lobbyists in St. Paul:
Working on saving Minnesota’s turtles in the Environment & Natural Resources Committee today! Thanks to @RepSamanthaVang for authoring and @RepFueLee for presenting the bill! #savetheturtles #mnleg pic.twitter.com/JRjhsFT38x
— Kelly Morrison (@Morrison4MN) March 5, 2019
Yes, DNR is concerned about decline in Minnesota turtle population, DNR deputy commissioner says. #mnleg #mnturtle Fabian takes side of commercial turtle industry. "Engage stakeholders."
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) March 5, 2019
.@jbeckerfinn reads letter from one of her constituents who's a turtle expert concerned with population declines and pressure of commercial harvest. #mnleg #mnturtle
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) March 5, 2019
Thank you @RepSamanthaVang, @RepFueLee, and @reprickhansen for the opportunity to testify on behalf of HF 749 — a bill meant to eliminate unsustainable commercial turtle harvest in Minnesota. #Turtles #mnleg pic.twitter.com/eZDPODgCkV
— Christopher E. Smith (@FieldEcology) March 6, 2019
Listen to audio of the bill's hearing here.
For more information on Minnesota's turtles, check out this 2011 pdf on the DNR's website (note that it was created while snapping turtles were still considered a species of special concern).
Photo: A common snapping turtle--which is not that common anymore--via the Minnesota Zoo.
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