Helmut "Helix" Nisters
Franz-Fischer-Str. 46
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Innsbruck
phone and fax: 0043 / 512 / 57 32 14
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
web:    www.netwing.at/nisters/

office:
Natural History Department of the
Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum Innsbruck
Feldstrasse 11 a
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Europe
phone: 0043 / 512 / 58 72 86 - 37

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James, I'm one of those people that make a living with seashells.  I
just want to say that I know a lot of the mollusk are used for food.  I
wished they all could be, but not so.  Anyway, We have about 12
different Scallops in our bins that are used for food, and then for
craft.  The Livona pica "Magpie" in the Caribbean are used for food and
then the shells are sent to Mexico to be polished and sent back to the
states to sell in shops.  More of these food shells are being done this
way now.  In the Bahamas not only do you see large piles of pink conchs,
but many discared Livona pica.

One word to Mr Gupta.  I think the Cassis cornuta is protected now.
Tom, do you know if any of the shells that you mentioned are eaten?  And
Paul you mentioned many shells but no mention of a food supply.  What
shell animals do you think are eaten out of your large list.  I know
that many are.  I am told the the Large Murex ramosus out of Thailand
are eaten.  I can't prove it.

There is a need for some control on shells and shelling, but the way
it's going, people in high places that don't know and haven't done much
research are placing bans on shells.  Some are needed.  More research is
needed and then the regulation would make more sense, like on the fish.
They can still be caught, but within limits.  There are some people that
want shelling banned altogether.  I know that you are reading this, and
thinking that I am trying to save my business.  True up to a point, but
I was a and still am a collected first and then I started selling
shells.  I can put in Tee shirts and ball hats etc. if all the shells
become protected.  The people that really know don't get involved.  I
think that what I'm always been interested in is what shell animals are
eaten and which ones aren't.  Many years ago we had a lady in our Shell
Club that tried eating almost every shell animal found in our area, as a
research project.  She's still alive.

Bob Lipe

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