This could make an interesting thread.  I am going soon to Phuket to do some
diving and, hopefully anyway, some marine and land collecting.  But I feel
like a criminal, because my newly acquired dive book on Thailand contains a
major diatribe against shell collecting.  Yet the same book (let me add a
very fine quality one) tells of the wonderful deep sea fishing that one can
partake in.  This is a common theme in all the diving magazines and with
most dive operators.  Shell collecting is a major sin!
 
If a dive location is in a nature reserve, of course we respect this.  But
why are mollusks considered so different than other marine forms when it
comes to enjoying the fruits of the sea?  Mollusks are not like corals,
which take forever to grow and replace.  Please indulge my simplification,
but do I have a point?  Like the difference between redwoods and mushrooms.
 
Here in California, as most of you know, it is a crime to take any
invertebrates within 1000 feet of the shoreline.  This is stupid, because it
is unnecessarily restrictive.
 
In Frankfurt airport, the "Greens" have set up a booth displaying shells and
chastising those who bring them back to Germany.  The atmosphere is one of
"Identify the shell nazis and send them to the Hague"!
 
We become aware on conch-l of more and more locations around the world that
are adopting this attitude.  It seems to me that we need to create a voice
that represents and protects our efforts and rights to study, learn and
enjoy our oceans.
 
Is this too daunting a task?  Have any efforts been made to use our
worldwide conchological / malacological organizations to give us a voice?
If we do not seek representation, our rights will be stolen.  There are many
narrow minded fanatics who would like to impose their worldview on the rest
of us.  There are truly a highly organized group who aspire to elevate
animal "rights" above those of man's.  First fur and shells, because they
are easy targets.  But the ultimate goal of these "vegans" is the complete
ban of meat eating.  Are we the first victims of this insidious plan?
 
Could this problem be resolved through the institution of some kind of
collecting permit that would be straightforwardly issued to serious
collectors and students of invertebrates?  Not unlike a fishing license.
 
Perhaps there is such an effort to represent us that I am not aware of.  If
so I would like to join in.
 
Best of regards to all my fellow conchologists,
 
Scott Jordan
 
-----Original Message-----
From: a.brosi <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, May 08, 1998 10:48 AM
Subject: Re: John and Ross
 
 
>And i thought shellcollectors were peaceful people,is the possesion of a
>shell so important that you just don't care about the creature that owns
>it?What would would happen if somebody likes the house you live in so much
>that he just kicks you out,would you like that?