esiena wrote:
>
> This is an opportunity for me, a novice, to ask:
>
> exactly how DO shell shops get their shells?
>
> I always wondered.
>
> Elizabeth
>
> At 11:44 AM 6/25/98 -0700, you wrote:
> >Dear Conch-L'ers,
> >
> >As some of you know by now, The La Jolla Cave & Shell Shop is going out
> >of business. To be more precise...being forced out of business. Last week
> >an article was published about the closure in the La Jolla Light, a local
> >paper. What follows is an exert from that article.  I thought some of you
> >might find the comments of the land owner James William Allen (who is a
> >golf manufacturer and ultimately responsible for the closure)interesting
> >...especially the second paragraph.
> >
> >>From the article by Dave Schwab, Light Business Editor, Thursday, June
> >11, 1998
> >
> >        "As much as tourists are good for our economy   they've taken
> >over our city," he said.  "I've quizzed a lot of people and they're
> >reaction is always the same: They've been to the shell shop, but it was
> >15 years ago, and they'll be upset it's going ... but.  It's like that
> >Polaroid camera that's been in your closet that you haven't used in 30
> >years."
> >        "There also are some drawbacks to sea shell retail," added Allen,
> >pointing out he's been told by institutions like Scripps Oceanographic
> >that reefs are being destroyed around the world by shell "miners"
> >prospecting to fill the needs of retail outlets like La Jolla Cave &
> >Shell Shop.
> >
> >Comments from all you 'miners' out there are welcome.
> >
> >Kim Hutsell
> >Field Research, Marine Malacology
> >San Diego
> >
 
 
 
Most shell shops get their shells from the Philippines...where the
Philippino people collect them by the thousands and stock pile them for
sale to USA.
--
Jim & Bobbi Cordy
Specializing in Self-Collected
Caribbean & Florida Shells