Section 482.11. Turtles and turtle eggs.

  1.  All persons who commercially take, attempt to take, possess, transport, or sell turtles or turtle eggs shall possess an appropriate, valid commercial license. This subsection does not apply to an individual who buys turtles or turtle eggs from a commercial fisher or a commercial turtle harvester for personal consumption.

  a.  A commercial turtle harvester license is required to operate commercial gear and to take, attempt to take, possess, transport, sell, barter, or trade commercial turtles or turtle eggs. Nonresident commercial turtle harvesters shall harvest commercial turtles only from the boundary waters.

  b.  A commercial turtle helper license is required to assist a commercial turtle harvester in operating commercial gear, and in taking, attempting to take, possessing, or transporting commercial turtles or turtle eggs. A commercial turtle helper is not permitted to buy, sell, barter, or trade commercial turtles or turtle eggs. A commercial turtle helper license is not required for a person under sixteen years of age to assist a commercial turtle harvester as provided in this paragraph “b”.

  c.  A commercial turtle buyer license is required to engage in the business of buying, bartering, or trading commercial turtles or turtle eggs.

  d.  A commercial fisher license entitles commercial fishers to operate any licensed commercial gear and to take, attempt to take, possess, and sell, barter, or trade turtles or turtle eggs taken with such commercial gear.

  2.  It is unlawful to take, possess, or sell any species of turtles except those designated by the commission by rule.

86 Acts, ch 1141, §11

C87, §109B.11

89 Acts, ch 192, §3

C93, §482.11

2009 Acts, ch 144, §29, 30

For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph n