This past Thursday, COA member (and all-around great guy) Scott
Schubbe and I made the long drive from Tampa to the Keys to check out
what used to be an incredible habitat for Cypraea cervus and zebra.
In the 70s, I can say with certainty that there were once thousands
to be found extending along about a two-mile stretch of seawalls and
rocky areas beside some thick mangroves. Once in the water, it was
obvious that what was at one time a great collecting spot had been
destroyed. Not a single cowrie was found. It appears that
overdevelopment in that area, much of which destroyed the mangrove
area, and the wish of all the new home owners to have nice lawns
(meaning fertilizer runoff) turned this collecting heaven into a
hellish breeding ground for thick bluegreen algae. Where visibility
used to be 10-15 feet, we barely had two feet, if that. Compounding
our problems were high winds and rain spinning off Isadore which was
then just off Cuba.

In all, we drive nearly a thousand miles to come back empty handed
except for a few Vasum muricatum. Is anyone on Conch-L currently
finding any cowries in the Keys or are they close to vanishing? If
anyone has had experience collecting down there, I would appreciate
them contacting me privately to compare notes. Needless to say, I was
heartbroken over what I experienced that day.

Best regards,
Jim

--