# Question about legality in Ontario



## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

I have a question about my fishing license (in Ontario). I was wondering, hypothetically speaking, with my fishing license would I be allowed to catch a turtle from the wild (such as Terra Cotta or Professors Lake) like the common snapping turtle.

Mind you, I'm not planning on doing this; I've got 5 turtles already and want to get into breeding guppies for them, but a friend of mine and I, got into a rather sticky debate (bordering argument) about whether or not it was legal.

I was under the impression that you could not remove wild life (even if you had a fishing license). His argument was you can because you have the license, and you're allowed to remove fish so why not the turtles.

But my understanding was that you can't. Can somebody please shed some light on this situation for me?


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

See this page: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165367.html -- but it's best not to take snappers, as they are a species of special concern.

It is apparently not OK to take other turtles, even if those turtles are invasive species.  Argh.


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## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

*That's what I thought!*

I knew it!!!! He was carrying on and on about how it's legal. I already knew that the snapper was a concern in terms of being on an endangered (concerned) list, but he seemed 100% sure that I had some doubts about my beliefs.

Glad I'm not as out of the loop he had me (and our friends) believe.

I'm a registered member on a popular online turtle forum, and I had read numerous times how you're not allowed to but I thought I'd ask here (since this is more specific to my locale); the turtle forum I'm a part of is largely U.S. based.

Thanks for the answers guys.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Also you might want to tell your friend that a fishing license only permits you to fish for game fish and you cannot transport live game fish, which you would need a special permit for that purpose.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

TMK there is a law in Ontario (maybe Canada) that prohibits the removal of native turtle species, and it also prohibits keeping these turtle species in captivity. (unless you have a special license for that, which I think is for conversationalist organizations or research organizations.)


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## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

*He was so convincing.*

I knew exactly what you guys have confirmed for me, but he was so confident in his argument that he actually stirred up some doubt in my mind. 

I copied the link and I'll be showing him this later tomorrow.

I KNEW IT!!!!!  Mr. Big Shot kept going on about how I was wrong. LOL. I'm totally going to rub it in his face tomorrow. Not that it matters, but the whole thing started when I explained to him the process I went through to adopt my turtles.

That's when he started with the whole _you should've just caught it from the wild_ argument. I guess it sorta snowballed from there. Heheh.

FYI, I'm now known as the "Crazy Turtle Guy" (because I have 5 turtles). They compared me to the crazy cat lady (from The Simpsons); only with turtles.

Whatever.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's not crazy. I think you have to have at least ten of something on four legs to qualify for being crazy ! Just my opinion.. ten cats, ten dogs.. ten turtles, whatever.. even ten birds would be a bit nuts. But five, that's normal.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have way more than 10 fish, but I was crazy before I started with fish


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

But in fish perspective, would it be 10 tanks to be a crazy fish person? I'm about half way there already.


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## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

*I agree.*



Fishfur said:


> That's not crazy. I think you have to have at least ten of something on four legs to qualify for being crazy ! Just my opinion.. ten cats, ten dogs.. ten turtles, whatever.. even ten birds would be a bit nuts. But five, that's normal.


I think there's nothing wrong with 5 turtles. It gives the tank some life in it, and each of them some companionship.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Besides, fish don't have four legs. They don't have ANY legs!


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## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

*Well I'm be darned!*

I spoke with another friend of mine today and he was 100% sure that we can in fact capture snapping turtles from the wild.

This friend (another guy; not the first friend whom I mentioned earlier) is somebody I consider to be a very knowledgeable person and he said there was no doubt in his mind that it wasn't illegal.

SO.....I decided to go straight to the source. I called the MNR and guess what? It is legal!  Yeah, no kidding. The only catches are : 1) It has to be between July through September. 2) It must NOT be captured from a Provincial park & 3) You cannot use hooks to catch them. It must be with a funnel type trap.

WOW. Today I had to eat my words.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

YMS_1975 said:


> I spoke with another friend of mine today and he was 100% sure that we can in fact capture snapping turtles from the wild.
> 
> This friend (another guy; not the first friend whom I mentioned earlier) is somebody I consider to be a very knowledgeable person and he said there was no doubt in his mind that it wasn't illegal.
> 
> ...


I don't get it, that's exactly what the link in the 2nd post said. Why did you think otherwise?


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## YMS_1975 (Jan 6, 2013)

*...*



solarz said:


> I don't get it, that's exactly what the link in the 2nd post said. Why did you think otherwise?


You know what, I think I simply misunderstood it the first time around.


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