This is a very delicate matter - we obtained some shells from Galapagos through fisherman in Ecuador
who have families living on places mentioned by Bert, small villages in places difficult to reach.
We do not encourage any of our suppliers to go to parks or natural reserves to break laws, and use
dynamite to find shells. By the time we visited Ecuador we met several fisherman (very poor) which
showed interest on collecting shells and make some money. These people live below poverty line, and
every cent means a lot to them. We helped them to buy engines to their boats, fix car problems, and
much more than the local Government are willing to do.

Now, our hobby is doomed to extinction sooner or later - and with it all the knowledge gathered in
our life time. I am in favor of selective shelling as it is made in Australia - only those having
permits are allowed to collect shells. By the way, how many of you actually go find your own shells
by dive, snorkel or dredge? 10%, 15% of all collectors? I doubt. I am not suggesting to allow
collectors to enter parks and collect everything they see. But I also understand how difficult would
be to get a permit, specially in third world Countries (as in Brazil as well).

I always stand up for our rights of collecting shells whenever I can - most of us are not just
grabbing a bunch of shells and throwing them on a glass jar. Collectors have an enormous potential
to supply information to scientists, who in most cases do not have time nor budget to go collect
shells in loco.

It is very nice to protect nature and it is everyone's responsibility. But when it comes to a point
where people rather see a shell rot in the bottom of the sea instead of having it studied or stored
on a collection, then I feel sorry for the next generations who will know nature only by books (when
specimens were available for study).

Which will be the next step? Prevent fisherman to fish? Place fences in every beach around the world
to make sure no one collects anything? We forget we live a good life, we have cars, food, cable TV,
internet and everything else. It is very nice to sit at home and defend these laws while nothing
else is done to help nature and science. I've talked several times to this kind of people, my
argument is that in 30 years of shell collecting we've found more new species to science than anyone
else in our Country. Usually these guys have nothing to say, except "we stand against nature
terrorists". Then they go back watch TV and eat snacks on a comfortable home.

Regarding Galapagos, the Government has a plan to remove all families from those islands - so even
the few shells which became available will disappear from the market.

So, let's start collect stamps! Oops, stamps are made of paper, meaning they have to destroy
forests...then let's watch TV and complain about life!

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