The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approves a new rule that would ban commercial

(HEADLINE: Florida talks tough on turtles CAPTION: Florida wildlife officials have tentatively approved a new rule that will impose the nation's strongest measures to protect freshwater turtles in the state. (April 16)) [Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] Florida could soon pass the country's strongest measures to protect freshwater turtles. A ban on commercial hunting of the turtles in Florida has gotten a tentative thumbs up from state wildlife officials. The new rule would ban commercial harvesting and the sale of Florida's wild turtles, 19 different species in all. It would also prohibit the collection of turtle eggs. The turtles are considered a delicacy in Asia, where thousands of the state's species are shipped every year. Matt Aresco/ Turtle Scientist: SOT:"There's just massive amounts of turtles that are leaving the United States to Asian markets and these populations in the state will be negatively impacted by continued harvest at these rates and we will start to see long-term population declines of the species if it continues." The new plan would allow a person to take up to one freshwater turtle a day for personal use. SOT Patricia Behnke/ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission "And this will be for a two-year time period, which staff feels is a good enough time, adequate enough time for them to go out and develop their brood stock and then they become self-sustaining for freshwater turtle production and then it's not necessarily to take them from the wild." Florida's governor has thrown his weight behind the proposal. SOT: Gov. Charlie Crist/ R-Florida "I think we need to ban the harvesting of the turtles. I've written to the chairman and the members of the wildlife Commission. I called the chairman again yesterday to encourage that position and chairman Barreto is a good man with a good heart and he cares about the turtles too. So I think we're going to be OK. The turtles are going to be OK." Final approval of the rule is set for June. However, not everyone agrees Florida's turtles are in danger. Commercial fishermen argue the population is doing well and they contend the issue has been directed by political pressure. ___ ___, The Associated Press. ((****END****) ANCHOR VOICE: Myra Lopez ------------------------- VIDEO PRODUCER: Myra Lopez ------------------------------ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/63abf1a4ee9c07d49703210580d5dfa5 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork