Hi,

Isn't it so that you will need CITES documents at least for the
Tridacnidae?
If you are caught in the Netherlands at the airport with a Tridacna and an
export license (say from Tonga) you still aren't allowed to import the
shell. The shells are conficated, and you may pay a very nice sum of
money.......

gijs

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> Van: Don Barclay <[log in to unmask]>
> Aan: [log in to unmask]
> Onderwerp: Re: trip
> Datum: woensdag 30 mei 2001 15:41
>
> Nope, not banned yet.  The Kiwis that live there would
> have already banned collecting, and will happily tell you
> that it is illegal to collect there.  In fact, it's only illegal to
> collect Charonia tritonis, and undersize tridacnids.  I think
> Trochus niloticus is another species that is regulated there,
> but I've never seen any in Tonga anyway.  And you can
> buy Charonia tritonis in any of the shops, and fresh Tridacna
> in the market.  To be technically legal, you have to have a
> permit from Fisheries to take the shells out of Tonga, no
> matter whether you collected them or not.  The permit
> costs 3 pa'anga.  That's about one U.S. dollar.  If you
> have a lot of stuff that you obviously collected and didn't
> buy, you will be reprimanded by the guys at Fisheries for
> collecting the shells and not buying them from the shops.
> If you have some shells or other souvenirs with you that
> you obviously bought, it makes your permitting easier.  It
> doesn't make the guy type any faster, though.
>
> Good luck,
>
>
>
> Don
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Geoff Macaulay" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 1:13 PM
> Subject: Re: trip
>
>
> > Dear Harold
> > I think you will find collecting is totally banned in Tonga by royal
> decree.
> > Where in Australia are you going?
> > Regards
> > Geoff
> >