Scott, you wrote :
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.
 
This will most likely be the object of much hate mail and insults but it is
my belief that limits on the amounts of shells collected and collecting
licenses would help to "regulate" collecting.
For the most part, 90% of the collectors would not have a problem as we ARE
selective and DON'T over-collect. We all know at least one collector who
takes far more then they should and this is who the 'regulation" should be
aimed at. mark