Terrapin Ban Update

If Governor O'Malley signs the terrapin harvest ban on Tuesday, as he is expected to do, it will go into effect on July 1st. Here's hoping that the state reptile never sees another bowl of turtle soup.

Terrapins Threatened Despite Harvest Restrictions

Poor data quality from the past cloud's the issue, but according to the new numbers available, the harvest of terrapins jumped over 2000% from 2005 to 2006. Prior to State restrictions on harvest in 2005, about 760 lbs of terrapin were harvested. In 2006, over 17,472 of terrapin were taken, made up largely of small males and sub-adult females.

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is the State reptile and a critical component of Bay ecosystems. Isn't it time we put a harvest ban in place, at least until we can get an accurate census of the current population?

An Accumulation of 8 to 10 inches of Good News

Some good news on the legal front. The Department of Justice and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General are taking the Costellos, the couple who brazenly filled in a 1/4 acre of the Bay, to court.

Local Delegate, Virginia Clagett (D - 30), has introduced a bill to prevent the commercial harvest of diamondback terrapins, the State reptile. This may upset connoisseurs of terrapin soup and the 5 to 9 watermen who harvest the terrapins each year. Too bad. If we're going to save the Bay, and its inhabitants, we need to get serious. I'd like to see a similar bill for crabs and oysters, and a resolution condemning the fact that Virginia is allowing the menhaden fishery to be decimated, once again threatening the striped bass.

Don't Fear the Turtle

Today's Post has a good piece on Marguerite Whilden's valiant efforts to keep the Maryland state reptile out of overseas soup pots.