House Study Bill 610 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MOORE) A BILL FOR An Act relating to turtle harvesting in the state and including 1 effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5732HC (2) 86 av/nh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 481A.67, Code 2016, is amended to read 1 as follows: 2 481A.67 Seasons and limits —— turtle harvest seasons —— 3 moratorium . 4 1. It is unlawful for a person, except as otherwise 5 expressly provided, to take, capture, or kill fish, frogs, 6 or turtles except during the open season established by the 7 commission. It is unlawful during open season to take in any 8 one day an amount in excess of the daily catch limit designated 9 for each variety or each locality, or have in possession any 10 variety of fish, frog, or turtle in excess of the possession 11 limit, or have in possession any frog, fish, or turtle at any 12 time under the minimum length or weight. The open season, 13 possession limit, daily catch limit, and the minimum length 14 or weight for each variety of fish, frog, or turtle shall be 15 established by rule of the department or commission under the 16 authority of sections 456A.24 , 481A.38 , 481A.39 , and 482.1 . 17 2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the 18 natural resource commission may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 19 17A establishing seasons that restrict the noncommercial 20 harvest of turtles in any waters of the state pursuant to 21 section 483A.28. 22 3. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 23 the natural resource commission shall adopt rules pursuant to 24 chapter 17A that prohibit commercial turtle harvesting in any 25 waters of the state. 26 b. On or before January 15, 2021, the commission shall 27 conduct a review of the status of the turtle population in 28 the state and shall report its recommendations to the general 29 assembly, made in accordance with sound fish and wildlife 30 management principles, on whether commercial turtle harvesting 31 should be reestablished in the state. This paragraph is 32 repealed effective July 1, 2021. 33 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 34 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 35 -1- LSB 5732HC (2) 86 av/nh 1/ 2

H.F. _____ EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to the commercial and noncommercial 4 harvest of turtles in the waters of the state. The bill 5 authorizes the natural resource commission to adopt rules 6 establishing seasons that restrict the noncommercial harvest of 7 turtles pursuant to a sport fishing license. 8 The bill also requires the natural resource commission to 9 adopt rules prohibiting commercial turtle harvesting in any 10 waters of the state. The bill provides that after five years, 11 the commission shall conduct a review of the status of the 12 turtle population in the state and report its recommendations 13 to the general assembly, in accordance with sound fish and 14 wildlife management principles, as to whether commercial turtle 15 harvesting should be reestablished at that time. 16 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 17 -2- LSB 5732HC (2) 86 av/nh 2/ 2