Ross Mayhew wrote:

>
> I know many Carribean countries have sharply curtailed shell collecting > activities, but i am wondering why shells seldom make it out of Puerto > Rico, which is a protectorate of the USA, so should have similar laws > regarding collecting, and Hati, where there would not seem to be enough
> law or order to  prevent some enterprising divers or fishermen from > exporting a few seashells.  So, what is going on (or, in this case, what > is preventing things from going on?)? Where are the shells that "should" > be making their way out of these places?

but nobody who knew, replied. Seriously, though - why is it so difficult
to find shells from these two places that "SHOULD" be major producers of
Carribaean molluscan exoskeletons?????  Are their shores all Marine
Preserves?  Does nobody there know that folks will pay good amounts of
loot for some of their faunal remains? SURELY someone out there knows
(or perhaps even someone with some other name....)!! - and perhaps there
are other enquiring minds on the list that might want to know as well :-0.

-JR