Briefs

Group asks AGFC

to protect turtles

The Center for Biological Diversity and several Arkansas-based environmental organizations petitioned the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on Monday to end commercial collection of the state's wild turtles.

Currently, turtle trappers may legally collect unlimited numbers of 14 types of turtles to sell domestically or export to Asian food, pet and medicinal markets.

Last week, New York banned the commercial collection of diamondback turtles, and Nevada halted commercial reptile collection.

"Arkansas' precious turtles shouldn't be sacrificed so a few trappers can make a quick buck," said Elise Bennett, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. "It's time for the state to adopt common-sense measures to protect its turtles from unchecked exploitation."

Arkansas allows turtle harvesting from waters across roughly half the state, including the entirety of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers.

According to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission harvest report records, 126,381 freshwater turtles were harvested from 2014 to 2016. Two-thirds were taken from only five counties.

"The wholesale exploitation of aquatic turtle populations in Arkansas threatens the health of our water bodies," said Cindy Franklin, president of the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas. "Aquatic turtles, from formidable snapping turtles to diminutive map turtles, serve an important purpose as the principal scavengers of our aquatic ecosystems. Without turtles to consume dead fish and debris on the bottoms of our waterways, water quality can decline and become unpleasant for wildlife and people alike."

FLW announces

2018 entry dates

Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, announced Monday its rules and entry dates for the 2018 FLW Tour.

The season will consist of a 160-boat field competing in seven-regular season events. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, will be at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs.

Among the changes for 2018, the FLW Tour will feature a cut to the top 30 pros -- not 20 -- on Day 3 of all regular-season qualifier tournaments. Pro anglers will still compete for up to $125,000 and co-anglers will compete for up to $25,000 in each tournament, including Ranger Cup contingency bonuses.

Paybacks will include $10,000 through 50th place for pros and $1,000 for co-anglers. Entry fees will be $31,500 for pros, who must fish all seven qualifiers, and $800 per tournament for co-anglers.

The top 40 pros from the 2018 FLW Tour will qualify for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, which will consist of 56 professional anglers. In addition to the top 40 pros from the FLW Tour, qualifiers will also include the highest finishing pro from each of five U.S. divisions and the International division at the 2017 Costa FLW Series Championship.

The top five pros not already selected as the highest finisher in a division at the 2017 FLW Series Championship, the 2018 BFL All-American boater champion, the 2018 TBF boater champion, the 2018 FLW College Fishing champion, the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup champion and the 2017 FLW Tour Angler of the Year will also qualify.

Registration is open for the top 100 pros and co-anglers from the 2017 FLW Tour, the top 10 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2017 FLW Series, the 2017 TBF National Champion from the boater and co-angler division, and the boater and co-angler champion from the 2017 BFL All-American. They have until Dec. 4 to secure their priority entry.

Entries from Ranger boat owners and FLW Tour sponsors will be accepted beginning Dec. 5. Pros and co-anglers who fished the full 2017 FLW Tour or a full division of the 2017 FLW Series will be accepted beginning Dec. 6, followed by TBF members beginning Dec. 7. All other entries will be accepted beginning Dec. 8. Qualified anglers may register by calling (270) 252-1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.

-- Democrat-Gazette staff

Sports on 10/01/2017

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