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.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 482.11

  • Boundary waters: means the waters of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Big Sioux rivers. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commercial fisher: means a person who is licensed by the state to take, attempt to take, possess, transport, sell, barter, or trade turtles or turtle eggs, commercial fish except roe species, or fish parts except roe. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commercial gear: means the capturing equipment used by commercial fishers, commercial roe harvesters, and commercial turtle harvesters. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commercial turtle buyer: means a person who is licensed by the state to engage in the business of buying, selling, bartering, or trading commercial turtles or turtle eggs. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commercial turtle harvester: means a person who is licensed by the state to take, attempt to take, possess, transport, and sell, barter, or trade commercial turtles or turtle eggs. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commercial turtle helper: means a person who is licensed by the state to assist a commercial turtle harvester in operating commercial gear, or in taking, attempting to take, possessing, or transporting commercial turtles or turtle eggs. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Commission: means the natural resource commission. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • Licensed commercial gear: means any commercial gear that is licensed as provided in this chapter and that, when in use, has the proper tags attached as provided by this chapter. See Iowa Code 482.2
  • Nonresident: means every person who is not a resident of this state. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • Operate: means to navigate or otherwise use a vessel or motorboat. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, or association. See Iowa Code 462A.2
  • Rule: includes "regulation". See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. It is unlawful to take, possess, or sell any species of turtles except those designated by the commission by rule.
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