A. Except as otherwise provided by subsection B of this section, no person may take for commercial purposes, by the use of nets, traps, seines and other similar devices, turtles from this state without having first procured a commercial turtle harvester license from the Director.

B. Any person having procured a commercial turtle harvester license, pursuant to subsection A of this section, may take for commercial purposes by any means, or assist in any such operations, turtles or aquatic turtles from any waters of this state, except from waters located within a city, town or municipality, and such areas designated pursuant to Section 1452 of Title 82 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

C. Prior to the issuance of each license, the applicant must file with the Director a true inventory of the equipment to be utilized in the operations of that turtle harvester. Such inventory shall be kept current. The inventory may be amended by filing a new inventory at any time.

D. The fee for a license under this section shall be Forty Dollars ($40.00) for residents and Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for nonresidents of the State of Oklahoma.

E. The Director shall not issue a commercial turtle harvester license to residents of any other state which does not allow residents of Oklahoma the opportunity to purchase such license in their state.

F. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

G. Commercial turtle harvesters whose licenses have been revoked under subsection F of Section 4-101 of this title shall not engage in commercial turtle harvesting operations in any manner during such revocation.

Added by Laws 1994, c. 318, § 4, emerg. eff. June 8, 1994. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 242, § 2, emerg. eff. May 28, 1996.