>Could someone explain why Astraea species are protected?  I thought they
>were quite common.

They are quite common, especially tecta - you find them in practically
every lobster trap, not to mention in most grass flats in the Keys.

Astraeas (called turbos by the state marine fisheries service) are
collected extensively for the aquarium trade. Apparently aquarists have
discovered their appetite for algae and use them extensively to keep the
glass clean of it. Because the aquarium suppliers were collecting lots of
them, the state Marine Fisheries Service (which now has a different name)
put them on a restricted list, like snook (a fish) and "giant grouper"
(which we used to call jewfish). Another item protected for the same reason
is "live rocks" which are rocks with things growing on them. These are
great in an aquarium, always producing surprises, but people were ripping
up reefs to get them and so you can't take live rock any more (they are now
being farmed, with permits).

The only other marine mollusk protected in Florida (except Sanibel, of
course) is Strombus gigas.

Peggy Williams

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