Hi
This is a very interesting topic. As an extra dimension I think we have to
differentiate between collecing purely for attaining specimens and forming a
collection (the 'postage stamp' approach), and collecting with a
scientific/research purpose in mind. Scientific collections are important,
and you need them to answer questions. You'll need to collect specimens, if
like me, you want to know how biovolume, morphology, apertural size etc.
etc. is related to habitat structure. It is very true that the two are not
mutually exclusive! I have a very large collection of land molluscs, which
although I use in my research, is still lovingly looked after and provides
me with much enjoyment. In my case, my interest in natural history (that I
have always had) led me to collect because owning what I saw became a
pleasure. My research interests developed significantly because of my
collecting. Like many others, I am a collector at heart, and there's nothing
wrong with that. There is a huge body of literature on the hypotheses behind
why people collect, what sort of people collect, and what benefits they
derive. We all know we have to be careful with what we collect, and how we
collect it. If people are sensible, and not destructive, then 'intelligent
collecting' provides material for present, and future, malacologists.
There's nothing negative about this.
Just a few thoughts.
Alex

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Gillian Overholser
Sent: 24 January 2006 20:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Effects of collecting shells from beaches


lol!


Gillian


p.s. -- Maybe I'm mising something here, but
collecting dead, empty shells off of beaches strikes
me as pretty harmless -- expecially compared to reef
destruction, overfishing, ocean dumping, oil spils,
etc.  Is it possible that we have become too
politically correct? Maybe that is part of the reason
the interest in this hobby has disspated -- who wants
to feel like an eco-thief while beachcombing?



--- [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Yeah! I'm with "them". I don't think anyone should
> collect on beaches---except me.
>     Art
>
>
> --
> PLEASE NOTE: My new, long-term, and correct email
> address is: [log in to unmask] Please update your
> records!
>
> ---- Stephen Rae <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Hello, all:
> >
> > I'm a recent addition to this list, a shell
> enthusiast, and a journalist.
> > This thread caught my professional interest:  Is
> there a movement afoot to stop
> > beach-shell collecting?  The woman (I think) who
> started this thread reported
> > a confrontation on a beach in (I think) Thailand;
> I'd appreciate hearing from
> > her and others with similar stories or knowledge
> of efforts to prevent shell
> > collecting.  The science is certainly interesting.
>  Many thanks.
> >
> > Stephen Rae
>
>
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