A Survey of the Snapping Turtle Harvest in New Jersey18-

Montclair State University and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries have developed this survey to gain a better understanding of the snapping turtle harvest in the state. This study will allow the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries to further understand your circumstances and opinions when it comes to making regulations and policies.
This questionnaire will not take more than 15 minutes. Any response you give will be strictly confidential. If you would like to receive a summary of the results of this study please let us know.
A brief background on the harvest of snapping turtles is provided here. In New Jersey, the snapping turtle harvest is under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries. The state currently allows both recreational and commercial harvesters to collect turtles throughout the year in fresh waters of the state except during the nesting season from May 1 to June 15th. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife states “Any person with a valid fishing license or those entitled to fish without a license” may take up to three snapping turtles a day either by traps or by hand, either in water or on land, adults or juvenile, with no reporting requirement however, these turtles are for personal consumption only and may not be sold. On the other hand, commercial snapping turtle harvesters pay $2 for a permits that allows the unlimited harvest of snapping turtles from 10 freshwater bodies. In recent years, both the number of commercial harvesting permits issued and reported harvested turtles have increased dramatically.