Aloha!
I just returned from Cebu. The problem with some species being offered for
sale there is some are exchange material from other locations. Some local
dealers will offer these as "Philippine" origin. I myself will exchange
Hawaiian endemics for local caught species. Latter I hear that my large
Haw'n Tigers over 5in are being sold as "collected from new Cebu location"
or my Cypraea sulcidentata being slightly doctored to resemble kuroharai &
sold for +$1,000ea! Ouch to the buyer!

Most local fishermen try to earn a honest living, some don't care. Only a
few are caught. Most get away with it. Once a Australian collector left
Zoilas on consignment & they were being sold as Sulu Sea "range extentions".
Most recently a New Caledonia source traded deep-water endemic species for
local shells & those too were being offered as Philippine caught.

Nowadays there are a few local dealers & collectors from abroad that live
full or part-time in Cebu. They can be easily contacted by email or word of
mouth (I won't list them out of respect to their privacy here online).
Either by library or net access most can help you out.     Good Luck!  CHRIS:)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------