Gov. Crist tells FWC to ban turtle harvest

Gov. Charlie Crist wrote to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission today urging his appointees to "move toward a complete ban on the harvesting of our wild turtles."

A rising demand from China has led to a increase in the capture of wild freshwater turtles from the state's lakes, ponds and other waterways, to the point that some biologists are worried that some species are in peril. But the fishermen who harvest the turtles say their livelihood is what's endangered. The FWC held a public hearing on the issue in Tampa today, but so far has not proposed banning turtle harvests.

In his letter, Crist told FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto that if the agency "is not vigilant and does not act swiftly we could be in grave danger of irreparable damage to our turtle population." The last time Crist weighed in on a wildlife issue, he persuaded the FWC to postpone indefinitely taking manatees off the state endangered list.

[Photo of Florida softshell turtle from Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]

--Craig Pittman

Comments

Bully for Charlie! I'm serious. Most governors wouldn't care because the animals aren't cute. But, they deserve our protection. Let China eat their own turtles. We'll keep ours in Florida.

[mike]

Good call Charlie!

[jason]

Here's an idea: let's sell China all the turtle meat they want. In reality, it's not turtle meat. It's a meat substitute loaded with poison that slowly kills over half of the Chinese population. That would rule.

[Paul]

Screw the turtles, Take care of the people who elected you Charlie.

Turtle Soup! It's whats for dinner. GO NOLES!!!

Thank you Governor Crist

[JJ]

Good call, Gov. Christ. Thanks for acting promptly.

Wow, thanks Charlie! You get + respect points from this independent voter.

Can't imagine Jeb caring about anything except crushing young Floridians' futures.

lets start catching those muscovy ducks and shipping the nasty pests to peking

[Debi]

Are you people kidding me?!?! This state is going through an education crisis that is hitting our kids and schools hard, and the govenor is worried about turtles? Where are your priorities people?????? Where are the priorities of our state legislation?????? Do you not see what is happening to the future of this state?????? Turtles over kids?????? Un-flippen believable!!!!

[Ann]

I'm with 8:43 - send them something plentiful and yucky and tell them it's turtles. They send enough nasty, poisonous stuff our way ;)

I wonder if they like iguana meat?

[may]

Save the turtles!

[MM]

I applaud Gov. Christ for protecting Florida's native wildlife from being harvested and then exported. Very few individuals will be adversely affected who were getting $1-$1.50 per pound of turtle. China has already devastated not only their own turtle population but all of SE Asia. Additional tax money is not there for further studies or to regulate catching quotas so a total ban is the correct move to protect our wildlife and ecosystems.

Is the FWC the one Charlie filled with developers and other scum? Drag your feet a little longer and it won't be an issue. Now do your job and save the %&%$# turtles. And you Chinese polluting dirtbags keep you damn hands off our turtles.

[Draft Alex for Governor]

Good work Charlie -- but how about some swift action on other issues ... like the budget?

[Marc]

Thank you, lake Tarpon in Pinellas County has been devastated by certain harvesters of turtles. Over and over again people have pulled up in pickup trucks and filled up their truck with hundreds of turtles to be killed and shipped to China for only a few dollars per pound. I am not sure that any turtles are left in our jewel of a lake.

[yo]

who cares about the turtles, our economy is more screw up than that!

[Buster]

...dogs, cats, whales now turtles, those guys leave nothing to chance do they?

Possums, people and coons are next!

Buster, you're what we get when you combine too much corn liquor with a family reunion.

Do it now! Give them three more months and they'll wipe them all out!

5:48PM -Please take moment to think what you said, young lady.

5:48PM -Please. Killing off half the Chinese population is reserved for the Chinese government.

Bravo Governor Crist! Things like this are why Charlie deserves the title "the People's Governor". Florida needs to take strong action to safeguard the wildlife we have left. We can't let the poachers and freeloaders line their pockets from killing and selling our native species. As Florida's human population approaches 20 million and swells far past that with our 40 million visitors, we need to have strong enforcement of laws to protect our wildlife in the open spaces they have left. Thanks, Governor Crist, for taking decisive action.

11:05 He hasn't actually done anything yet. With all those appointees of his on the FWC, we'd better see a new regulation pronto. Meanwhile you can bet that the turtle poachers are ramping up their efforts even as we speak.

Fear the Turtle!

Go Terps!

YEAH!

Why not just increase the tax on turtle exports... should help with the budget situation...

[Gilbert]

We have the highest employment rate in State history, people are starving, losing thier homes and he (our Governor) is worried about a damn turtle! What a way to prioritize.

5:48, Jason. That comment is really over the top. Sometime, we Americans take free speech to new heights.

[Chris Brudy]

Killing turtles for the Chinese market is an abomination, 2:01. By the time one foreclosure is done, there won't be a turtle left in the state.

Plenty of people have lost jobs in this recession. Are we going to wipe out our wildlife for a couple weeks of income?

Good for Charlie.