New
regulations to help protect Florida's diamondback terrapins go into today.
Diamondback
terrapins are medium-sized turtles that live in brackish water habitat
where blue crabs tend to live, including salt marshes, barrier islands,
mangrove swamps, tidal creeks and rivers.
Diamondback
terrapin populations are in decline throughout their habitat from habitat loss,
growing popularity in the global pet trade, illegal collection as well as
climate change.
Because
of overlapping habitat, there is also the potential for terrapins to be
accidentally caught in blue crab traps.
As
of today, all recreational blue crab traps are required to have rigid funnel
openings no larger than 2 x 6 inches at the narrowest point or 2 x 6-inch
bycatch reduction devices installed.
Bycatch
reduction devices can reduce incidental terrapin mortality by keeping terrapins
from entering crab traps and are intended to have little impact on blue crab
catch.
The bycatch reduction devices can be installed to existing
traps to bring them into compliance and are available at select coastal UF/IFAS
Extension offices around the state.
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