Should we take the barnacle off the turtle

[Mike]

Sombody please....

Not sure why you would begin all this with

There's a sea turtle who lives at a dive site I visit often. He has a barnacle on his shell. Should we take it off for him?

I don't intend to do anything until and unless I can figure out a way to not stress the turtle.

It's painfully obvious based on that last statement that you and your universal "we" dive buddies have had every intention of messing with this turtle in question from the get go. The transparency is obvious to anyone paying attention, your intentions have been especially given away based on how upset you've gotten over anyone saying not to do it. As you've indicated, you don't want to hear why not to do it, you're only interested in agreeable responses to validate your intentions.

Leave the f'n turtles alone, they've been swimming around with barnacles on them for millions of years and survived quite well long before the invention of scuba and divers being capable of cleaning them.

 

[djcheburashka]

Sombody please....

It's painfully obvious based on that last statement that you and your universal "we" dive buddies have had every intention of messing with this turtle in question from the get go. The transparency is obvious to anyone paying attention, your intentions have been especially given away based on how upset you've gotten over anyone saying not to do it.

*Sigh*

I actually did not know the answer when i asked the question. What I think you missed is that the first batch of replies were all *ALL* completely, utterly wrong. It turns out that barnacles are sometimes a health issue or irritant for turtles, and sometimes not. The correct answer was "it depends..." The posters didn't know what they were talking about. Later, one person actually did *know* something about the issue, and helped.

As for the people who think touching a turtle is a felony... <shudder>

 

[OldNSalty]

On what do you base "first batch of replies were all *ALL* completely wrong"?

Seems like if you really wanted to do this you could simple call your local Fish and Wildlife officer and ask him point blank "I intend to grab a turtle and remove a barnacle-Do you see a problem with it?" and if he says something like "Not if you don't have a problem with jail." then you will know not to do it. If he says, "Yea, what ever." then I guess it is really between you and the turtle. I think there are some posters on here who work for fish and wildlife...I wonder if they have seen this thread.

 

[tahqa]

*Sigh*

I actually did not know the answer when i asked the question. What I think you missed is that the first batch of replies were all *ALL* completely, utterly wrong. It turns out that barnacles are sometimes a health issue or irritant for turtles, and sometimes not. The correct answer was "it depends..." The posters didn't know what they were talking about. Later, one person actually did *know* something about the issue, and helped.

As for the people who think touching a turtle is a felony... <shudder>

*Sigh*

Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol - Sea Turtle Tips
Why is it illegal to touch sea turtles - Ask.com
Green Sea Turtles
Outdoors blog - Spokesman.com
Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol | City of Jacksonville Beach
Hatchlings! | The Turtle Hospital

There's many more that say the same thing. The law doesn't say it's illegal unless the turtle has a barnacle on it. The law says leave them alone. Period. I highly doubt any fish and wildlife officer that sees you heading towards a sea turtle with a dive knife is going to step back and let you do it.

Yes, your intentions are good, I respect that, however you do not have the exemptions to flout the law as you wish to do. If you are that concerned about the welfare of the sea turtle report it and let the authorities handle it.

 

[supergaijin]

*Sigh*

I actually did not know the answer when i asked the question. What I think you missed is that the first batch of replies were all *ALL* completely, utterly wrong. It turns out that barnacles are sometimes a health issue or irritant for turtles, and sometimes not. The correct answer was "it depends..." The posters didn't know what they were talking about. Later, one person actually did *know* something about the issue, and helped.

Sure I do- I'm an instructor

Whatever fairy world you live in, the turtle will not understand that you're trying to get a barnacle of its shell. It'll just think that you're attacking it.

When you end up doing it anyway... don't tell the Japanese or it might give them another excuse to hunt whales in the Antarctic- "Justo removing maanny barnacuru from whale. Barnacuru berrrry bad for whale hearufu. Whale rike! You seem, come! But berrrry danger job- have to stun whale with grenade to head first".

 

[tahqa]

Sure I do- I'm an instructor

Whatever fairy world you live in, the turtle will not understand that you're trying to get a barnacle of its shell. It'll just think that you're attacking it.

When you end up doing it anyway... don't tell the Japanese or it might give them another excuse to hunt whales in the Antarctic- "Justo removing maanny barnacuru from whale. Barnacuru berrrry bad for whale hearufu. Whale rike! You seem, come! But berrrry danger job- have to stun whale with grenade to head first".

Bwahahahahah!

 

[djcheburashka]

There's many more that say the same thing. The law doesn't say it's illegal unless the turtle has a barnacle on it. The law says leave them alone. Period. I highly doubt any fish and wildlife officer that sees you heading towards a sea turtle with a dive knife is going to step back and let you do it.

Yes, your intentions are good, I respect that, however you do not have the exemptions to flout the law as you wish to do. If you are that concerned about the welfare of the sea turtle report it and let the authorities handle it.

The articles you're citing to are all either public announcements (I.e., newspaper articles that repeat press released, hardly the most reliable sources to understand a law) about the protection of turtle nests and eggs (I completely agree-a Florida felony to touch), or the federal endangered species act.

The ESA, besides not being the law we were talking about, does not appear to create *any* felonies (see 16 USC 1540(b)(1)), nor does it appear to bar the touching of any species (see 16 USC 1538). It might authorize the enactment of a regulation that barred the touching of particular endangered species, but then we're getting pretty complicated.

I appreciate that you're trying to be helpful and reasonable as well. But please understand that if what you're suggesting about the Florida law is true -- I mean seriously, read the whole law, see what it says, and take a look at the laws next to it, because they aren't limited to turtles and have the same language -- then basically everyone in the state of Florida whose ever gone diving or visited crystal river to snorkel with the manatees is a felon.

A *felon*. Not someone who violated a regulation or did something they shouldn't, but a *felon*-that is, someone who may be denied bail pending trial, should spend multiple years of their life in prison, be permanently barred from (in certain places) voting, owning a gun, obtaining many forms of employment, etc. etc. For *touching*a*turtle*. Think about that.

Sea turtles and their habitats are entitled to extensive protection under state and federal law, as well they should be. This does not mean that the interpretation of Florida law that keeps getting repeated in this thread is correct, or even makes any sense.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[tahqa]

The articles you're citing to are all either public announcements (I.e., newspaper articles that repeat press released, hardly the most reliable sources to understand a law) about the protection of turtle nests and eggs (I completely agree-a Florida felony to touch), or the federal endangered species act.

The ESA, besides not being the law we were talking about, does not appear to create *any* felonies (see 16 USC 1540(b)(1)), nor does it appear to bar the touching of any species (see 16 USC 1538). It might authorize the enactment of a regulation that barred the touching of particular endangered species, but then we're getting pretty complicated.

I appreciate that you're trying to be helpful and reasonable as well. But please understand that if what you're suggesting about the Florida law is true -- I mean seriously, read the whole law, see what it says, and take a look at the laws next to it, because they aren't limited to turtles and have the same language -- then basically everyone in the state of Florida whose ever gone diving or visited crystal river to snorkel with the manatees is a felon.

A *felon*. Not someone who violated a regulation or did something they shouldn't, but a *felon*-that is, someone who may be denied bail pending trial, should spend multiple years of their life in prison, be permanently barred from (in certain places) voting, owning a gun, obtaining many forms of employment, etc. etc. For *touching*a*turtle*. Think about that.

Sea turtles and their habitats are entitled to extensive protection under state and federal law, as well they should be. This does not mean that the interpretation of Florida law that keeps getting repeated in this thread is correct, or even makes any sense.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

You are correct that my experience with these matters is essentially "tribal knowledge". I interpret it the way I do because that is how it's always been explained to me. I might be incorrect, I'm willing to admit that.

I've dropped an email to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to see what they say. *Shrug*

 

[Dr. Lecter]

My normal answer would be "if you have to ask on SB, you probably shouldn't do it." Because this thread was such a joke, though, I didn't even bother saying that much.

But now that I ponder it, I think it would be great if you would take the barnacle off the turtle, just so long as you make sure there's a nice clear video of you doing so. Then post that video here -- you could even post personally identifying information along with it, so we can thank you for looking after the turtle if we ever meet you. Then we could all forward said video to all our friends, whomever they might be and for whatever agencies or organizations they might work.

I think the outcome would be hilarious for all involved...aside from you and maybe the turtle

 

[DA Aquamaster]

/.....don't tell the Japanese or it might give them another excuse to hunt whales in the Antarctic- "Justo removing maanny barnacuru from whale. Barnacuru berrrry bad for whale hearufu. Whale rike! You seem, come! But berrrry danger job- have to stun whale with grenade to head first".

Rarry Rike!

That's the funniest thing I've read all week.