Brianne Pfannenstiel

bpfannenst@dmreg.com

Environmental activists claimed victory as limits intended to rein in Iowa's commercial turtle trapping industry took effect this week.

Before the restrictions took effect, Iowa was one of only a handful of states that allowed commercial trappers to catch unlimited numbers of certain turtles. Biologists warned that the state's relatively lax restrictions have resulted in some alarming trends in long-term harvest data that could threaten the sustainability of the state’s turtle population.

"It's very exciting," said Molly Hanson, executive director of Iowa Rivers Revival, an environmental group that pushed for the changes. "I’m extremely pleased that we now have rules on the books to protect some of our native species."

Environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity lobbied for years for a complete shutdown on commercial turtle trapping. But many worried about the effects on those Iowans who rely on trapping as part of their livelihoods. In 2016, about 50 people were registered with the state to harvest turtles and sell them for a profit. They argued trapping restrictions would put them out of business.

In 2016, the Iowa Legislature passed a law, signed by Gov. Terry Branstad, that instructed the Department of Natural Resources to establish a turtle trapping season and to set daily bag limits. Those restrictions were given the OK by a legislative rules committee and they officially went into effect March 22.

The new season is closed from mid-May through mid-July. Daily catch limits prevent trappers from taking more than four snapping turtles, one painted turtle, and one spiny softshell or one smooth softshell turtle each day.

The legislation also requires DNR officials to conduct a five-year study of the state's turtle populations.