Dear Matt and Claire,

Other than protected areas such as the John Pennekamp Marine Sanctuary and a
few wildlife areas, only two counties in Florida have restrictions on the
live collecting of seashells.

Lee County has a total ban on live collecting. This is interesting since
they market themselves as the shell collecting capital of the universe.
(Just a little sarcasm injected on purpose.) I must admit they have the best
of the world's specimen shell dealers on Sanibel Island. It is the best
place to buy live collected shells.

Manatee County has a limit of two specimens of each species per person. The
collecting of Queen Conchs, Strombus gigas, is prohibited statewide. An
official longer version of this post can be obtained at the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Commission website at:  myfwc.com

Anyone who tells you otherwise probably doesn't want you to collect "their"
shells.

Best wishes,

Dennis Sargent

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