Dear Jenny and all,
 
I felt compelled to respond to your note and others from this thread over
Conch-L since what you say, I think, needs further discussion.  I respect
your comments below and your revelation to no longer purchase shells.  You
are not the first collector who has had a revelation about the commercial
aspects of shell collecting.
 
I want to give you my opinion on shell collecting, shell dealing (dealers)
and conservation (a dealer and long time collector's point of view).  I
hope I do not ramble on to much at this late hour.
 
A number of people might suggest that the term "shell collecting
conservationist" is an oxymoron.  I believe differently.  This is a complex
subject open to a wide range of opinions, each which has its validity.  But
we are all shell collectors and we must come to terms with our pursuit --
whether it be collecting for personal reasons, for trading, for scientific
purposes, or even selling.  If one cannot come to terms with this fact,
then they must reevaluate their reasons for pursuing the hobby.  If you
take one shell or 20, collecting is collecting.
 
I do not condone those who have a general disrespect for the environment;
those who over turn reef rubble and rock, coral heads, and rocks and logs
in a rain forest and do not turn them back.  This is unconscionable and is
one of the leading reasons shell collectors are looked upon in a negative
light by conservationists.  Those who do such vacuum cleaner collecting are
a small minority.  Unfortunately we cannot police every collector.  We all
have our horror stories to tell about seeing someone with an overzealous
approach to field collecting.  And I am not going to point fingers since at
one time or another many of us have been careless too.
 
It is the mission of organizations like COA to educate the public why
conservation starts with protection of the habitat.  For the most part,
"sampling" of shells for the purpose of bolstering shell collections, in my
opinion, is not in anyway destroying or doing harm to molluscan
populations.  But then again, I do not condone the mass disruption of a
reef for the purposes of picking through every mollusk that inhabits a
coral head.  Are you familiar with the PBS documentary "The Coral
Triangle?"  Go to your local video store and see if you can rent it.  You
will be appalled.  Again, this subject is quite complex.  But let's get
back to the point of this discussion.
 
The conchological world is made up of a diverse group of people with
diverse interests.  Like any natural history hobby, there are those who
pursue their hobby with genuine interest and respect for what they collect.
 And then there are those at the other end of the spectrum.  The same holds
true for the dealers in this hobby.  Many or most specimen shell dealers
were amateur shell collectors first.  Only a handful have gotten into the
business through the back door with a strictly profit goal in mind.  The
point I am making is that the shell collecting world is diverse yet unique.
 
Both amateurs and dealers have become extremely knowledgeable and adept in
marine sciences.  A number support the malacological community and even
published their own research.  Look at how many important books have been
authored and co authored in recent years by collectors and even dealers
around the world that have added greatly to the knowledge of the molluscan
fauna.  Without the dynamics of the shell world, with amateurs, advanced
collectors, and yes, even shell dealers, all of this new information and
many new species may never have surfaced.
 
Yet there is a balance that has to be met.  The shell business, mostly
commercial shells, does drive the mass collecting of shells on a certain
level.  It is debatable whether the commercial collecting of shells impacts
the habitat any more than a commercial fishing boat dredging or trawling
the oceans, or the real estate development of shoreline habitats.  But
again, back on track.
 
Yes, mollusks are removed from the ocean and forests to bolster collections
and dealers do profit from this, but when you look at the big picture, the
benefits of a "well documented" collection (with detailed locality and
habitat data) will better serve the scientific community in the long run.
The donation of well documented shells to museums by field collectors and
arm chair collectors is the ultimate benefit.
 
The age of highly funded malacological expeditions is long gone and museums
rely on concholgists to donate their collections or field trip material to
build up their research collections.  Many dealers are part and parcel to
this process.  In recent years, many new species designated paratypes and
holotypes were donated by amateurs and dealers.  I don't think there is a
specimen shell dealer who has at one time or another not donated shells to
a museum.  Many have added significantly to museum collections with rare
and unique species.
 
I think it is time for people to stop beating up on shell dealers.  Let's
be frank -- the shell business is just that -- a business.  It has its
share of politics, behind the scenes maneuvering, and diverse and clashing
personalities, just as would any business that caters to a hobby.  That
will never change.  The occasionally behind the scenes squabble has nothing
to do with conservation, education of the public about responsible shell
collecting, and supporting our museums.  There are many genuinely
interested shell dealers in our hobby.
 
I don't want to get sappy here, but let's move on and look at the good that
many people in the hobby have done for the study of mollusks.  We are a
relatively small group.  Let's enjoy the pursuit of shell collecting and
work towards educating the public about this hobby that we all love so
much.  Let's respect each others' interest in the hobby (whether you buy,
self collect, or don't collect at all) and share our experiences in a
positive manner.
 
Sorry to take up all of your time with my personal opinion.
 
Rich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Richard L. Goldberg
Worldwide Specimen Shells
P.O. Box 6088, Columbia, MD 21046-6088
phone/fax:  (410) 379-6583
email:  [log in to unmask]
homepage:  http://www.erols.com/worldwide
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
At 07:54 AM 1/8/98 -0600, you wrote:
>What a fascinating undercurrent to our community of shell lovers!  I think
>I need a decoder ring to decipher the initials, though.  Let me dig out my
>back issues of AmConch and scan the dealer ads...
>
>In light of the embarassment these obvious missends will cause, isn't this
>the strongest evidence yet that the list needs to be "safed" against
>autoreplies?
>
>I don't think I'm going to be buying any more shells.  You know, I sat back
>the other night and meditated on what my money was really doing.  I suspect
>my money is ending up in the hands of local people who don't appreciate
>shells or conservation, only the fast American buck it brings them.  I
>really feel the commercial shell trade has far more to do with the
>devastation of coral reef ecosystems than individual collectors and divers.
> Shell and shellcraft dealers pay locals to supply them in bulk with
>freshly killed mollusca.  How many of these suppliers do you really think
>have much interest in using enlightened collection techniques, such as
>leaving rocks as we find them and not molesting breeding pairs, etc.  Do
>you really think a Phillipine fisherman with six mouths to feed at home
>really worries about what he does to the environment as he wields his
>crowbar, ranging over the reef for whatever might bring Western cash into
>his pocket?  Not only shells, but corals, fish, and a host of other things
>he sells to the "shell stall" merchants.
>
>By supporting dealers -- and I hate to say this because I have made friends
>of many, and I don't believe any one is intentionally supporting
>detrimental collection practices -- I have been contributing to the
>destruction of the very creatures I admire and study.  I pay the dealer,
>who pays the exporter, who pays the fisherman who finds the shells by any
>means necessary.
>
>I am blessed by being fully able to go out and self-collect, so my newfound
>principles on paying dealers who buy wholesale are easy for me.  Many of
>you may not have the luxury of being able to snorkel or scuba, or travel
>widely.  For many, buying is their primary means of collection.  Does the
>end justify the means, if it requires that there will be fewer and fewer
>specimens left in pristine environment to be collected by future
>generations?  If we can live with that upon our conscience, then so be it.
>
>Personally, though -- and I have to admit the "Eyes Only" exchange just
>tilted the scales a little further -- I don't think I can in good
>conscience support a system which fundamentally contributes to wholescale
>harvestation of a very fragile ecosystem.
>
>Now, that's controversial...
>
>
>
>Jenny
>
>