I was in the Philippines in March and my strong impression was that this 'list' of restricted species (from 2001) is now being enforced much more than before. It's a curious list, to be sure, including at least one non-Philippine species. The list was presumably based on a visit to a Manila shell shop by one government official, back in 2001.

Here's a link to this list: http://www.green-trade.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/GTO-Forbidden-Shells-A4.pdf  If you go to the Philippines you'll see this posted in airports and ferry terminals.

Simon Aiken
www.simons-specimen-shells.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of steve rosenthal
Sent: 05 May 2014 18:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] BFAR permit tax for specimen shells in the Philippines?

OK i just pulled one of these permits off a prevously opened carton of shells from a very well known PI dealer. i think several different issues are involved here, but on this specific one  to the permit per se, the BFAR permit is  an export permit for species not covered under CITES (there is a rubber stamp to that effect on the permit, and i made sure to obtain the same stamp on my permits when i was there)..., so theoretically at least the shells in question were presumably "not in danger of extinction".

At times some dealers have referred to a longer list of specific species, some rare and some not so rare , eg Conus gloriamaris was on the list, that was put out or floated about by the PI government, in addition to CITES species, that were off limits supposedly to sell/export,  eg i know for some time some prominent dealers would not include these shells on their offerings. Now i see all the species offered so i dont know what exactly if anything was up with that.

Perhaps some of the dealers from there can comment further...

On 5/5/14, Franck Frydman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> "I would further assume that if you can afford the prices of
> theauction shells and postage, you can handle 4 euros.": Of course.
> However I have just found this info:The BFAR tax concerns "sea shells
> in danger of extinction"
> (http://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/pages/legislation/IRR_8550.html) which is
> NOT the case for most specimen shells in the Philippines.
>
>
> -----Message d'origine-----
> From: steve rosenthal
> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 6:44 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] BFAR permit tax for specimen shells in the
> Philippines?
>
> a number of FIllipino dealers on the same auction site you probably
> refer to now do it. When you visit there, you need to (or very much
> should) get a similar permit to take shells out of the country... The
> permit is attached to the package when it comes, so it is a real
> expense you can see. I would imagine that any who dont ask for the
> payment are willing to absorb the cost themselves and/or have built it
> into the prices they ask.
>
> I would further assume that if you can afford the prices of the
> auction shells and postage, you can handle 4 euros.
>
>
>
>
> On 5/5/14, Franck Frydman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Hello,
>> A Filipino specimen shell dealers asks me to pay a 4 euros BFAR
>> (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) export tax to ship me
>> seashells.
>> So far I have never heard about it and no other Filipino shell dealer
>> seems to asks for it. Moreover it seems that this tax only concerns
>> fish, shrimps etc. so has anybody ever hear about such a taxing for
>> specimen shells in the Philippines?
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Franck Frydman
>>
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