Hi James,

A word of caution to you about your project.  It's easy to pick out
the instances of destructive collecting practices, and it's almost
newspaper headline material when you start throwing in words
like "exploited," "malicious," and "anthropogenic."  This happens
all the time, about a variety of subjects, and while not necessarily
providing false information, your study could easily end up giving
the wrong impressions.  Overreaction is one of the favorite pastimes
of governments (I happen to work for one, so I know), and a little
dose of sensationalism is about all that is required to get the
wheels of uninformed/misinformed/misled/misguided legislation
rotating.  Probably the most "exploited" shell in the world is the
money cowry, and it's still abundant.  There is a big difference be-
tween locals stripping the reef for anything of potential value and
scientific collectors gathering shells for study.  Most of the world
doesn't know the difference, however.  This list is full of responsible,
knowledgeable, and aware collectors whose favorite pastime involves
dead molluscs (and often live molluscs).  Take care that your study
isn't used to hasten the demise of scientific shell collecting.

Also, walking on the reef doesn't necessarily kill it.  The Samoans,
Tongans, etc. have been reef-walking to collect shells for food for
thousands of years, and the reefs are in pretty good shape, unless
they've been hit by a recent hurricane.  It took the reefs in Samoa
about 3 years to recover from the last big hurricane, and the areas
that aren't suffering from pollution are thriving.

Cheers from Pago Pago,


Don Barclay
(who has e-mail again... for now)
----------
> From: James C. Frank <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Images and pictures...
> Date: Friday, April 21, 2000 8:42 PM
>
> I would like to thank all who contributed to my last inquiries about the
> trade of shells, and as I finish my research I have but one more inquiry to
> make.  I need pictures for my presentation on shell collection.  Many of you
> informed me of the malicious methods of collection that occur as a result of
> tourism and other anthropogenic activities (people walking on reefs,
> breaking apart the reef to get at target shells, etc).  Any pictures you may
> have that show these activities would be greatly appreciated.  Scanned
> images or links to web-posted images can be emailed directly to me at
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Also, any tutorials on the proper and improper methods of collection would
> be useful.
>
> Again, thank you all for your help with this project.  I hope to publish my
> findings soon.
>
> -James C. Frank
> ><)));>   ><)));>   ><)));>   ><)));>   ><)));>   ><)));>   ><)));>
> ><)));>   ><)));>
>
>                      James C. Frank
>                      Marine Science Major - The University of South Carolina
>                      Aquarist - Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia, SC
>                      http://mudflat.geol.sc.edu/~jcfrank
>                      [log in to unmask]
>                      (803)544-2683