Harvest and overharvest Over-harvesting for turtle meat and the pet trade must be regulated. Harvest of alligator snapping turtles is not allowed in Missouri. Snapping turtles suffer losses from incidental illegal take by anglers and commercial fishermen. Unbaited, unmarked and abandoned setlines and trotlines pose a threat to all species of aquatic turtles including alligator snapping turtles. Trotlines must be labeled in Missouri, but often are not.
Turtles can take the bait on trotlines.
They also get hooked on the limbs, neck, or edge of the shell on abandoned trotlines and drown. In Missouri, the alligator snapping turtle is not on the brink of extinction but is in low numbers and in need of protection. The species' aquatic habitat must be protected and improved. The construction of dams should be avoided to allow this species free movement along streams. This will likely avoid flooding of nest sites as well.