8 December 1998
 
     To pick up a thread from last wk.  I agree with Doug S and Kevin C about
problems getting permits (federal especially) to collect freshwater mussels.
     After learning what we have from the very large collection (3000+
specimens) of  dead endangered Lampsilis higginsi I've deposited in various
museums (collected over a 15 yr period, a few at a time, I've had a federal
permit since 1977),  I'm now forbidden to collect dead shells of this species
unless they are from a specifically described project for which I have a
current federal permit amendment.  Thus, with the advent of zebra mussels, we
are hardly able to document their impact on L. higginsi. Casual observers tell
me they seldom see dead L. higginsi on the shoreline anymore (in areas where
we frequently found them before - muskrats loved those $20,000 plate dinners).
This means these shells are now caught up in the mass of live and dead zebra
mussel shells, and we really have no idea what is going on with this species.
    I'm told to deposit these specimens in museums in the states where shells
are found.  Some states don't really have an active museum or curators,
another state museum would love to take specimens but is running out of room
(building is physically overloaded) etc etc.
     One federal agency wants all specimens from one specific area at one
museum, but some years ago the curator told me he didn't want more than 6
specimens of a species from a site.  But during a drought year, I couldn't
bring myself  to pass up specimens we may never find again at those sites, so
I spread the specimens around and deposited them at various museums (agency
wasn't too happy with that, they wouldn't listen to my rationale for doing
what I did).
     Some state's rules are ridiculous.  My sympathy to you, Doug, on having
to leave the O. retusa.  I told one state agency that if I didn't take a
voucher of  one particular living species, no one would believe we found it
(it's a bit easier in some places to get state exemptions). But what a
runaround trying to make phone calls to get a permit amendment, when you're
doing field work-you have to have access to a fax machine.
     I remember Dr. Stansbery relating stories where collections were rescued
from being thrown out of 3rd story college windows, or they were plastered up
in college walls.  I'm sure there are other horror stories out there too.
Sometimes I question a museum's policies to see how they handle things, but
that doesn't mean a new curator won't change things and pack shells off to the
attic because he wants to exhibit XYZ, or birds etc.
Marian E Havlik
Malacological Consultants
1603 Mississippi Street
La Crosse, WI 54601-4969
email: [log in to unmask]
Phone/Fax: 608.782.7948
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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