Dear all shell collectors, It take a long time for me to share some information regarding the articles wrote by GENEVIEVE JIANG (Singapore Newspaper-The New Paper) May 21, 2001 and forwarded by George Sangiouloglou on the Conch-L net on Sat, 9 Jun 2001 22:25:26 +0300 It is true some islands in Malaysia are gazette as a Marine Parks. To be exact there are total of 38 islands. But I think this figure is relatively small compare to hundreds of islands in Malaysia. Marine Parks are established with the following objectives: 1. To protect and conserve the marine eco-system, especially the coral reefs, for the management of the fisheries resources in the coastal waters in order to maintain/increase fish landings. 2. To protect and conserve the coral reefs for research on biodiversity; and for purposes of education and recreation/eco-tourism. The following activities are prohibited: = Collecting, removing, destroying or having in possession of any marine resources such as shells, mollusc, corals and fishes whether dead or alive. = Possessing and using of spear guns of spearfishing equipments and harpoon. = Using of fish traps, poisons, explosive and electricity or other method to catch fish. = Anchoring of boats directly onto the reef (Please make use of the mooring buoys found within the marine park of mooring of boats) = Littering and disposal of waste/rubbish = Removing and/or destroying any structure such as buoys, notice boards etc. = Constructing or erecting any building or other structure within the Marine Park Area, without authorisation. = Fishing within the Marine Park Area Here are the WebPages that clearly state about Marine Park in Malaysia. http://agrolink.moa.my/dof/Agrotourism/mpobj.html http://agrolink.moa.my/dof/Agrotourism/agrotourism.html Hopefully this can help you in shelling in Malaysia. Regards, Halim >From: George Sangiouloglou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Beware! If u are shelling in Malaysia. >Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 22:25:26 +0300 > >Dear friends, >I received the following e-mail from Mrs. GENEVIEVE JIANG, this information >is >useful for your shelling trip. >Lots of thanks to Mrs. GENEVIEVE JIANG that inform me about. >Best regards. >George > >mark wrote: > > > BY GENEVIEVE JIANG (Singapore Newspaper - > > The New Paper) May 21, 2001 > > (Note: Singapore and Malaysia > > are 2 sovereign countries. Kindly pass the below > > message to shell collectors who might be > > unaware of such existing law in Malaysia with > > many island resorts). > > > > JUST sea shells from the sea shore. But they nearly > > landed a Singaporean couple in a Malaysian prison > > They were stopped by Malaysian police as > > they were about to head home from Pulau Tioman. > > They were told they could to be thrown into jail for > > two weeks for picking up shells there. > > The Malaysian Fisheries Department says it is an offence > > to pick corals and sea shells in Pulau Tioman because it > > is a gazetted marine park.The engineering assistant, > > who wants to be known only as Mr Hoo, 35, had gone to > > Pulau Tioman for a holiday with his 31-year-old wife on > > May 5. But the three-days-two-nights holiday ended > > on a sour note.Recalled Mr Hoo, who stayed at the > > Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort: "Just as my wife and I > > were about to board the ferry at 2.30pm on May 7, > > we were stopped by officials from the Fisheries Department. > > "My wife was carrying a plastic bag with some snacks > > and a small bag of sea shells, about 300g, which we had > > picked up from the beach."The officials told us that we were > > not allowed to take the shells home and that we had to > > follow them to the police station." > > At the station, Mr Hoo and his wife realised that they > > weren't the only tourists who had been caught. > > There were six Malaysians including two young children, > > three English women and a German couple at the station, > > all detained for the same offence. > > Said Mr Hoo: "The police told us it was an offence for > > us to pick up sea shells or corals from Malaysian waters > > and beaches and take them home. > > "But the shells I picked up were just ordinary sea shells. > > Not special corals. Some were even broken. > > "They told us that we would need a local guarantor to > > bail us out. If not, we would have to be put in jail for > > two weeks."I was shocked." They didn't know what to do. > > Two hours passed. Then out of the blue, their > > saviour turned up. "A Malaysian businessman who heard > > about our plight kindly agreed to be our guarantor. > > So we were let off." They were not told whether they > > would still face charges or any further proceedings. > > By then, the last ferry home had already left. > > Said Mr Hoo: "We had to check into our hotel all over again." > > He and his wife had to miss a day's work because of this. > > "We both had to call back to inform our bosses of what > > was happening. It was quite embarrassing." > > Mr Hoo had never had such an experience on his past > > visits to Tioman. > > He said: "I've never heard of such a law under which > > people can be arrested for picking up sea shells. > > The shells we picked up were from the beach in front > > of the resort where we stayed." _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.