Relates to trapping license to trap snapping turtles.

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S2170-2013 Actions

• Apr 15, 2013: referred to environmental conservation
• Apr 15, 2013: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• Apr 15, 2013: PASSED SENATE
• Mar 14, 2013: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
• Mar 13, 2013: 2ND REPORT CAL.
• Mar 12, 2013: 1ST REPORT CAL.180
• Jan 14, 2013: REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

S2170-2013 Meetings

Environmental Conservation: Mar 12, 2013

S2170-2013 Calendars

Active List: Apr 15, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 13, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 14, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 18, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 19, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 20, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 21, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 24, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 25, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 26, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Mar 27, 2013 , Floor Calendar: Apr 15, 2013

S2170-2013 Votes

S2170-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2170

TITLE  OF BILL:   An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in
relation to snapping turtles; and  providing  for  the  repeal  of  such
provisions upon expiration thereof

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this bill is to provide for the regulated trap-
ping,  netting,  poling  or  catching  of  snapping  turtles,  which can
currently only be taken by gun or longbow.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends Subdivision 10 of section  11-0701  of  the  Environ-
mental  Conservation  Law  to  include  snapping turtles among the small
games animals permitted to be taken by an appropriately licensed trapper

Section two clarifies that snapping turtles, in addition to other speci-
fied game, can be taken by specified means other than the use of  a  gun
or longbow.

Section  three  establishes  Department  of  Environmental  Conservation
authority to regulate the taking of snapping turtles, and  set  seasons,
bag limits and areas.

JUSTIFICATION:  Snapping turtles were historically harvested for food in
the absence of any regulatory measures to limit harvest. Several commer-
cial collectors reportedly harvested thousands of turtles using a varie-
ty  of  methods, including taking of turtles prior to the females having
nested for the year. Several years ago, snapping turtles were designated
as small game in the Fish and Wildlife Law, allowing for their regulato-
ry protection. Measures are in place to limit  the  daily  and  seasonal
take  of  snapping  turtles  and to protect egg-bearing females prior to
nesting, and young turtles that  have  not  reached  reproductive  size,
helping  to  ensure  self-sustaining populations of snapping turtles for
the future. Most individuals who harvested snapping turtles before  they
became  "small game" did so primarily by hand, net, pole or turtle trap.
Currently, however, the only legal method to take snapping turtles is by
shooting by longbow or gun.  This bill would authorize snapping  turtles
to  be  taken  by hand, net or trap. Furthermore, this legislation would
provide a mechanism whereby nuisance snapping  turtles  can  be  trapped
live  and  relocated.    Under existing law snapping turtles can only be
taken by gun or longbow.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  S.7003A/A.3784 of 2012.  A.3784 of 2011 A.11341 of
2010.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire
and be deemed repealed on and after September 30, 2015.

S2170-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    2170

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              January 14, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. VALESKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

  AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to snap-
    ping turtles; and providing for the repeal  of  such  provisions  upon
    expiration thereof

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Subdivision 10 of  section  11-0701  of  the  environmental
  conservation  law,  as  amended by chapter 57 of the laws of 1993 and as
  renumbered by chapter 470 of the laws of 1994, is  amended  to  read  as
  follows:

    10.  A  trapping  license  entitles  the holder to trap beaver, otter,
  fisher, mink, muskrat, skunk, raccoon,  bobcat,  coyote,  fox,  opossum,
  weasel,  pine  marten, SNAPPING TURTLES, and unprotected wildlife except
  birds, as  provided  in  title  11  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,  subject  to  the
  provisions of subdivision [6] 3 of section 11-0713 of this article.
    S  2.  Paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901 of the environ-
  mental conservation law, as amended by chapter 825 of the laws  of  1973
  and  subparagraph  1  as  amended by chapter 407 of the laws of 1976, is
  amended to read as follows:

    c. Wild small game and wild upland game birds shall be taken  only  by
  longbow or gun, or by the use of raptors as provided in title 10 of this
  article, except that:

    (1) skunk, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, fox, mink and muskrat may be taken
  in any manner not prohibited in this section or in title 11 of [the Fish
  and Wildlife Law] THIS ARTICLE, and
    (2) frogs AND SNAPPING TURTLES may also be taken by spearing, catching
  with  the  hands,  or by the use of a club or hook, AND SNAPPING TURTLES
  MAY ALSO BE TAKEN BY TRAPPING PURSUANT TO TITLES 7 AND 11 OF THIS  ARTI-
  CLE.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD04819-01-3

 S. 2170                             2

    S  3.  Subdivision 1 of section 11-1103 of the environmental conserva-
  tion law, as amended by chapter 911 of the laws of 1990, is  amended  to
  read as follows:

    1. The department may by regulation permit trapping of beaver, fisher,
  otter,  bobcat,  coyote,  fox, raccoon, opossum, weasel, skunk, muskrat,
  pine marten [and], mink, SNAPPING TURTLES, or any of them, in  specified
  areas,  and  may regulate the taking, possession and disposition of such
  animals.  The periods in which trapping of such animals is so  permitted
  are open seasons for the trapping of the species for which the period is
  fixed, in the area or areas for which it is so fixed.
    S  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
  deemed repealed on and after September 30, 2015.