The state government passed the law due to the threats facing these reptiles, including habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and overharvesting.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has prohibited the commercial harvest of western painted turtles and snapping turtles in the state, the agency said in a news release. The rule went into effect January 1, 2024 after a law was passed in 2023. The rule does not prohibit the captive breeding of these turtles for commercial purposes. An aquaculture license with a turtle endorsement is required for these activities.
Anglers will also need an angling license and a recreational turtle license to harvest turtles using hook and line, landing nets and gaff hooks. Turtle traps are prohibited for the taking of turtles. Children under the age of 16 can still collect these species for turtle races.
Painted turtle. Photo by Jason Patrick Ross/Shutterstock
The state government passed the law due to the threats facing these reptiles, including habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and overharvesting.
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Painted turtles (Chrysemys sp.) are one of the most widespread turtle species. There are four subspecies of painted turtle. These include the eastern (C. p. picta), midland (C. p. marginata), southern (C. p. dorsalis), and western (C. p. bellii) painted turtle. The Western painted turtle grows to less than 8 inches in carapace length and can live more than 50 years in captivity. It is listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) has a range that extends from the East Coast down to Florida, portions of Texas and Louisiana, throughout much of the North and Midwest and into the Eastern portions of Utah and Idaho. The males are larger than females and can exceed more than 20 lbs in weight. The heaviest wild specimen is reported to have weighed 75 lbs. It is listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
