To ALL Conch-Lers
In the introduction of the first edition of "Sea Shells of Tropical West
America" (1958:6) Myra Keen stressed the need for conservation in the
Panamic province, but the principals can be applied anywhere in the world.
"As a final word about the Panamic province, a note of caution is
appropriate. This book will have been of scant service to the science of
malacology if it stimulates unrestrained collecting. The apparent wealth of
a tropical coast suggests a limitless reserve, but such an area can be
ruined by over-collecting just as surely as one can anywhere else. Already
the more accessible collecting spots in the northern Gulf are being denuded
by overeager amateurs who carry away shells by the sackful; by commercail
collectors; and by thoughtless persons who needlessly destroy the habitat,
whether collecting or not. The careful and conscientious collector may take
a representative sample, but not an entire colony or population , and he
tries to leave the site as undisturbed as possible, replacing every
overturned rock in its original position as quickly as he can, so as not to
disrupt the living conditions for the host of plants and animals nestled
there. It is the delicate balance between these organisms--some large enough
to see, others microscopic in size--that keeps an area continuously productive."
In the second edition (1971:9-10) she added:
"A book reviewer in 1959 commended that paragraph as a "strong plea
for conservation." Now in retrospect, one realizes painfully that it was not
strong enough. Whether the bookitself was the stimulus or whether the trend
of the times would in any case have increased the activity of collectors,
the malacological traffic has burgeoned, on the part of both amateurs and
dealers, and not only automonile loads but truckloads of material continues
to cross the southern border of the United States, Mexico being especially
vulnerable to collecting forays on the part of the Norteamericano.
On the other hand, there is some developing awareness on the part of
the many collectors. A "Shell Collector's Code of Ethics" was formulated in
1963 by the Pacific Northwest Shell CLub, which has been subscribed to by
other clubs and by individuals. It needs still wider publicity and adherence
and is repeated, in slightly amended and abridged form:
Because I appreciate our heritage of wildlife and natural resources,
I WILL make every effort to protect and preserve them, not only for
my own future enjoyment, but also for the benefit of generations to
come.
I WILL make sure that I leave things as I found them.
I WILL return rocks, boulders, kelp, and seaweeds to their original
positions after looking beneath them.
I WILL refill holes I dig.
I WILL take only those specimens that I know I can clean and use
I WILL avoid taking juvenile or flawed specimens, leaving them to
grow to maturity and to proagate.
I WILL never knowingly deplete an area of an entire species-population.
I WILL respect the property rights of others; treat public land as I
would the property of my friends and collect on private beaches only
with the owner's permission.
I WILL leave behind no trash or litter and discard no burning material."
Mind you all that these conservation ideas were proposed over 35
years ago, so over-collecting is not new to shell collecting. If EVERYONE
adhears to these simple guidelines perhaps we can help conserve while
enjoying our hobby.
Personally I enjoy fossils over live collected shells due to the fact that
we had nothing at all to do with their demise.
Aloha,
Lindsey T. Groves
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Lindsey T. Groves
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Collection Manager Malacology/Invert. Paleo.
900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007
Voice: (213) 763-3376 (Mal) 744-3485 (IP)
Fax: (213) 746-2999/7646
e-Mail: [log in to unmask]
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