Several of the world's leading turtle scientists have called on the Governor of Florida to end the commercial hunting of turtles which supplies eastern Asia.

The experts, brought together by the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission, made their plea in a letter to Governor Charlie Crist.

"Florida's freshwater turtles are being harvested at an unsustainable rate to supply East Asian food and medicinal markets," the letter said. "New rules recently implemented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) do not resolve this issue."

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