It is amazing that they don't run out of Conchs in the Bahamas and they have
been bringing them in for hundreds of years and hundreds a day.  Their best
food source.


-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
michaelblied
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 9:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Shelling in Florida

The piles of queen conchs you see can still be found in caribbean islands
such as the Bahama's and Turks and Caicos.  There, this shell flourishes
probably becasue they don't cram every lineal inch of coastline with houses
dumping lawn chemicals into the sea and replensih their beaches everytime
they lose a little sand.  Fisherman come back with boatloads each day and
pile them up.
----- Original Message -----
From: jan steger
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 6:22 AM
Subject: [CONCH-L] Shelling in Florida

Hi everyone,

I'm going to travel to Florida next year. It'll be the first time for me to
collect shells in the United States.
The trip will lead us from Orlando south to Key West with different Stations
(like Sanibel) where we are planning to stay for a few days and do some
shell-collecting and diving.

I'd like to know if there are any restrictions/laws concerning shell
collecting (except the protected areas like National Parks, of course) in
Florida?

I know that the famous Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, is protected by CITES
appendix II  and therefore not allowed to be collected or exported and
traded.
In some photos I have once seen large "mounds" of dead Strombus shells that
have been caught for eating their meat bleaching in the sun. I don't know
whether this species is still fished today or if they're already several
years old.
Does anyone know if it is possible to get an official permission to be
allowed to collect one or two of these beached/dead specimens or where you
have to apply for, or is this not possible in general (I have read different
things on the internet)?

best regards,
Jan



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