#diamondback terrapins

[rjzimmerman]

Endangered Species Act Protection Sought for Diamondback Terrapins

Center for Biological Diversity: Iconic Turtles Disappearing From Atlantic, Gulf Coasts

Excerpt from this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

The Center for Biological Diversity and 20 partner organizations petitioned NOAA Fisheries today to protect diamondback terrapins as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Aquatic turtles who live primarily in coastal marshes and estuaries from Massachusetts to Texas, these animals have declined by 75% across most of their range in the past 50 years.

“Tens of thousands of terrapins are drowning in crab traps each year. Without the lifeline of Endangered Species Act protection, they’ll sink into extinction,” said Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

In many locations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, terrapin populations have been wiped out completely.

Drowning in crab traps is a leading cause of death. These traps are submerged cages with funneled entrances that catch both crabs and air-breathing terrapins. Around 3 million crab traps are deployed each year by recreational and commercial crabbers, which kill tens of thousands of diamondback terrapins annually.

In addition, between 25% and 50% of all crab traps are lost or abandoned annually in coastal waters. These derelict cages — called ghost traps — kill tens of thousands more terrapins every year. Researchers estimate 60,000 to 80,000 terrapins are killed in active and abandoned crab traps each year.

Yet simple, proven solutions exist that could save terrapins. Bycatch reduction devices installed on crab traps have no negative effects on crab harvests, but they reduce diamondback terrapin deaths by 94%.

Terrapins are also threatened by habitat loss from sea-level rise and development. They’ve already lost half of their original wetlands and are expected to lose up to 60% of their coastal marsh habitat by the end of the century.

As these animals travel farther in search of habitat, thousands of egg-bearing females are killed along roads each year. Increasing pollution, poaching, predators, boat strikes and climate change also threaten them.

[rjzimmerman]

Video is about a minute long, with annoying music, but it shows us how an easy fix to crab traps can stop the drowning of diamondback terrapins. These guys:

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Virginia will consider regulation to protect turtles from getting caught in crab pots. (WHRO)

Thirty diamondback terrapins drowned in a crab cage in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Excerpt from this story from WHRO:

Update: On June 24, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission denied the petition on turtle excluder devices. Commissioners requested that staff look into a similar rule that would apply only to recreational crab pots.

When diamondback terrapins spy bait sitting in a crab pot, they often push their way inside to feast, only to get stuck.

Terrapins, a small and vulnerable species, use lungs to breathe and can drown while trapped in cages underwater.

Conservation groups are asking Virginia regulators to require a solution: adding small gadgets to crab traps that keep terrapins out while still allowing crabs to enter.

“Virginia can take a really important step to saving this species by adopting this really simple, cheap, easy rule,” said Will Harlan, Southeast director and senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity.

The organization, along with the Virginia Herpetological Society and nonprofit Wild Virginia, petitioned the Virginia Marine Resources Commission earlier this year to require what are called turtle excluder devices on any crab pots used less than 150 yards from shore.

The commission will consider the petition on June 24.

Diamondback terrapins are the only turtle in the U.S. to live in brackish water, which is a mix of freshwater and saltwater that makes up most of the Chesapeake Bay.

The terrapin is considered a keystone species because of its role as a predator that helps maintain the salt marsh ecosystem and ingestion of eelgrass seeds, which helps distribute the seeds throughout the environment, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

The turtles were heavily harvested in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and now face pressure from development and other human activities on their habitat and nesting areas, Virginia officials say.

Harlan said the population of terrapins along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts has plummeted by about 75% in the last 50 years. The federal government is in the process of studying whether to list the species as endangered.

[rjzimmerman]

Center for Biological Diversity: Turtle Species Still Needs Protection From Commercial Fishery

Excerpt from this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

A new rule aimed at protecting diamondback terrapin turtles from drowning in recreational blue crab traps will go into effect Wednesday, March 1.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rule stems from nearly two years of advocacy and a petitionfiled by conservationists and turtle experts. But the commission has yet to consider badly needed protections in the commercial blue crab fishery.

Under the new rule, all recreational blue crab traps must have rigid entrances of no more than 2 inches by 6 inches or bycatch reduction devices, or “BRDs,” of the same size.

When approving the recreational traps rule in 2021, the commission postponed consideration of similar requirements for the commercial blue crab fishery until commission staff completed a study of terrapin interactions with the fishery, despite abundant evidence that commercial crabbing also threatens terrapins. The commission website indicates this research is complete, but the agency has not revisited protective rules.

“It’s a relief to know Florida’s terrapins will get a reprieve from recreational blue crab traps, but the threat from commercial crab traps still looms large,” said Elise Bennett, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “To protect our precious terrapins, the commission needs to finish what it started and revisit protections in the commercial fishery too.”

“The conservation community recognizes that the single greatest action that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can do would be to require the use of bycatch-reduction devices on all crab traps used in Florida waters,” said George L. Heinrich, executive director of the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust. “While requiring their use on recreational traps is a good step forward, it only begins to address the problem.”

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FWC Commissioners don't budge on breeding ban for diamondback terrapins

FWC staff concluded the risk of increased harm was too much.

Excerpt from this story from Florida Politics:

It’s been 16 years since Florida allowed captive breeding of diamondback terrapins, and despite intense lobbying by people involved in the reptile industry, that door remains shut.

“Overseas market demand for turtles is high, and illegal turtle trafficking of native species is a major concern in Florida and among other states,” according to a memo from Melissa Tucker, Director of Habitat and Species Conservation for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and FWC Law Enforcement Col. Roger Young to Commissioners. “Within this context, Florida is home to five subspecies of diamondback terrapins, three of which are only found in Florida.

“In addition to illegal collection in the wild, the species faces threats from habitat loss and degradation, predation, climate change and incidental mortality. Diamondback terrapins have a high market demand within the U.S. and abroad, with desire for Florida-specific subspecies generating significant prices.”

The issue came up again at the latest FWC meetings in Panama City because of interest in reopening the market. FWC staff sided with experts who believe captive breeding and commercial trade doesn’t make a positive difference in terms of conservation.

“Commercial breeding, the way I have defined it, is large-scale farming operations,” said Brian Horne of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “We’ve heard this numerous times, and I’ve spoken often with my colleagues who work with such things as tiger farming, all kinds of wildlife farming, and we’ve seen no evidence that it occurs, across numerous (types of animals).

[rjzimmerman]

Florida Approves Rule to Protect Diamondback Terrapin Turtles From Collection, Drowning in Recreational Crab Traps

Excerpt from this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

Following nearly two years of advocacy and a petition filed by conservationists and turtle experts, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a final rule today to protect diamondback terrapins from wild collection and drowning in recreational blue crab traps.

The rule requires owners of all recreational blue crab traps to reduce terrapin bycatch by using traps with rigid funnel entrances measuring no more than 2 x 6 inches or by installing bycatch reduction devices of the same size by March 1, 2023. The Commission opted to postpone consideration of similar requirements in the commercial blue crab fishery until staff complete a study of terrapin interactions with the state’s commercial fishery.

“We’re so glad Florida is working to protect our terrapins, but that work isn’t done till the state addresses threats from the commercial blue crab fishery too,” said Elise Bennett, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity who focuses on protecting Florida wildlife. “We expect the Fish and Wildlife Commission to promptly revisit the issue once it completes its own study. In the meantime, this rule will give these beautiful turtles some protection from the more limited recreational fishery.”

The final rule also prohibits collecting terrapins from the wild and possessing them without a permit. This prohibition will help reduce the removal of adult terrapins from the wild and make it more difficult to poach and traffic the species.

Diamondback terrapins, found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts to Texas, are the only turtles in the world that live exclusively in coastal estuaries. These estuaries are also home to blue crabs, which are trapped in crab pots by an active blue crab fishery.

Baited blue crab traps are known to trap and drown terrapins, while commercial fleets of traps are capable of steadily removing individual turtles until a population cannot sustain itself. Abandoned or lost traps, also called ghost traps, can capture terrapins by the dozen. Experts agree that blue crab traps pose the greatest threat to the diamondback terrapin’s existence.

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Can't leave out my 2 extra handsome boys 🐢 Pablo and Javier 💚

[casorasi]

Diamondback terrapins, popular Asian meat, now off limits

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Diamondback terrapins, native turtles known for living in salty marshes along the coast and sometimes falling victim to auto traffic during the shore's busy summer months, can no longer be hunted or harvested in the state. Diamondback terrapins, popular Asian meat, now off limits