Hi Ross, I think you're right. I just wonder if one country banning export of a species is a good excuse for another country to ban import of that species, even if it comes from a different location. It wouldn't surprise me if this happens. I spoke with one of the "Crown of Thorns" starfish experts from Guam last year. He told me exactly what you are suggesting. Several countries, Tonga for instance, banned the collecting of charonia tritonis for this very reason. It's published in any recent literature from Tonga regarding shelling: the primary reason for the ban is to try to stop the spread of acanthaster planci. Also, almost any website on the net that mentions these starfish is quick to give a grave warning not to ever collect charonia tritonis, as they are "THE natural enemy of the Crown of Thorns." While it's true that the tritons sometimes feed on these guys, I think it may be a bit presumptuous to conclude that not taking charonia tritonis will solve the starfish problem. In fact, the professor (I apologize to you, and to him, for forgetting his name) told me that there appeared to be two main factors associated with the proliferation of planci. He said that agricultural runoff, or even unusual amounts of organic material hitting the water from heavier- than-usual rainy seasons, often caused "blooms" in the starfish pop- ulations. Other than that, he said that in the years he's been study- ing them, he's seen the populations expand and then practically dis- appear, apparently as part of a natural cycle, for no obvious reasons. (There was no explosion of charonia tritonis associated with the fluc- tuations in starfish population.) This shouldn't be very hard to accept, as many of us have seen the cyclical fluctuations in molluscan pop- ulations. When I first came to American Samoa three years ago, I saw planci in a lot of different areas, but it never appeared to be what I would consider to be an infestation. I've been told by some of the long- time residents that their numbers skyrocketed after the two bad cyclones five years ago. Now, it's rare to see one in a day of diving or snorkeling. I do know where a couple "live," and can usually find one or two if I'm looking for them. Charonia tritonis weren't very common here before the starfish bloom, and they still aren't. The good Doctor also told a story about being "stuck" by one of these starfish when he was doing research, I believe, in Palau. The area was completely infested with planci, covering the reef. He came to the surface, and explained to one of the locals that he had been stuck, and that the pain was excruciating. The fellow told him he should go get the starfish, so they could put the mouth of the starfish over the wound. He guaranteed that the starfish would suck the poison out, and the pain would go away. They tried this, and after about ten minutes the local gentleman asked, "So, it feels better now?" The researcher told him, no, that it still hurt like heck. The response: "Oh... You sure you got the one that stuck you?" Cheers, Don 14.19S/170.43W ---------- > From: Ross Mayhew <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Charonia & other non-CITES critters > Date: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 2:59 AM > > The CITES list is simply a starting-point - any country, such as the > Phillipines, may ban export of any other species, for any reason at all, > and it is up to the customs officials of other countries to choose to > honor these prohibitions or not. The PI Charonia restrictions probably > owe their inception to the period when it was commonly believed (perhaps > correctly! - i do not know - ****ANYONE****???) that the crown of > thorns starfish was proliferating, and hence eating more coral, partly > because too many Charonia were being killed for the bric-a-brac shell > business. The Phillipines have a LOT of corals (or rather, HAD, until > most of them were blown up, silted up, poisoned, or torn up for the > bric-a-brac coral business), so protecting Charonia was no doubt a > popular thing to do- and perhaps a practical one as well, based upon the > "prcautionary principle" at least!! > -- > Ross Mayhew: Schooner Specimen Shells: Http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com > "We Specialize in the Unusual" > Phone: (902)-876-2241 > But try to find Something for EVERYONE!!