Dear Lr's
 
 
        About shelling in Mauritius, I had no problem in collecting shells in
September/October of 1996. In fact I collected every single day I was
there, from the very common turistic beaches to the less common. As I
referred in a previous e-mail, I had no restrictions what sow ever any
were, including at the airport. I didn't either hide the shells to come out
of the country, in fact they were quit a couple of species and even if I
wanted to hide the, there was no possible way.
        Shells were also sold in quite a big amount of shops and tourist guides
were always trying to invite (charge is a better definition) to some small
Island to collect cowries; come come, I will collect nice cowries for you,
they said. Fishermen broke nearly any shell from nerites to cowries to use
as fishing bait for hooks, to capture lagoon reef fish. Gee! If there was a
band for shells, it surreally didn't look like it!! Any one can mark a dive
session to collect shells on the reef slope with some locals.
        But I do know to, that mangrove areas are totally protected. There is no
way (at least legally) you can enter the Mangroves since they are
surrounded by fences and local patrol cares control these areas.
        But if I was just one of the lucky ones, anyone interested in more
information can inform there shelf at:
 
United Kingdom
Mauritius Governmente
Tourist Office
32/33 Elvaston Place
London SW75 NW
Tel. (71) 5843666
Telefax. (+44 71) 2251 135
 
or
 
U.S.A
Mauritius Tourist
Information Service
Port Executive Bldg
8 Haven Ave.- Port Washinrton
New York NY 11050
Tel. (516) 9443763
Telefax. (+1 516) 9948458
 
or
 
Italy
Ufficio del Turismo
delle Isole Mauritius
BMK sas di Myrna Bassi
Pubbliche relazioni
Foro Buonaparte 46
20121 Milan
tel. (2) 865984
telefax. (+39 2) 86460592
 
or directly to
 
Transport of Goods and Excess Baggage
Rogers & Co. Ltd.,
5 President John Kennedy St.
Port Louis, Mauritius,
Tel. 208.6801
Fax. 208.1022
telex. 4418 IW
 
        In the guide books I have none refer in Costumes and Regulations that
shells are a forbidden export item. But things ca change a lot in almost
two years !!!
 
        About the currency exchange rate, Lit. 1000 = Rs 10; 1 Pound = Rs 27.
        The 3 H. costata I personally saw, were priced for about
  45 US dollares and C. barthelemyi for about 14 US dollares ... ...
        Hope this can be useful for a further approach!!
 
        Yours SHELLING
 
        Carlos