Black Coral Art in Roatan???

[laurenceh]

i once suggested that visitors avoid eating lobster out of season after reading a post about an all you can eat lobster buffet on tripadvisor. the vast majority of replies i got were hostile and pretty much stated "when i'm on vacation i'm going to eat as much lobster as possible", most were from divers.

 

[Doc]

.... after reading a post about an all you can eat lobster buffet on tripadvisor. the vast majority of replies i got .... were from divers.

I think Trip Advisor gets a lot of vacationers who might like to dive a bit. Not really a place for serious dive commentary.

But~ I do get your point and have no doubt that it occurs- I have seen it in real time while in the islands.

 

[octopuppy]

Mr. Midge - A good resource for seafood decisions including in your area. Pocket sized pamphlet and smart phone apps.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I found this post an informative and an interesting read. I went to Roatan in March and stayed at a dive resort. I didn't seek anyone out as to where to buy local items; they were visible right in front of the dining room I entered daily. Vendors with wares of totroise shell, mother of pearl, local shells etc, were spotlighted on various days and even Oscar was there too with a display of carvings in black coral. I wanted to support local artists and looked at the wares. Also iwas curious as to what artwork they created in Roatan. I ended up purchasing a cloth and a few t-shirts, but couldn't resist asking about the black coral and the tortoise shell earrings displayed on another day. Responses were almost identical. When asked if it was legal to bring a particular item into the US, the response was "Yes, as long as it is polished." I thought to myself that this is a plausible response since the vendors have been here for years selling to US tourists each day. In this thread, i saw the links to sites and read about the loophole of 'bycatch'. I certainly don't know all the intricacies of the laws for each item from each country. People have referenced 'dumb tourists' in this thread, but how would I really know if the coral is real, if what the vendor says is correct, and have handy those obscure by catch laws for every country I visit if the vendors are not truthful?

 

[DennisS]

Cruise ship visitors are even offered iguana which is also illegal, They are not endangered worldwide but there is actually a black iguana only known to the Islands, BUT Stupid tourists order iguana not thinking about that.

Is there a market for iguana, not that I would ever think of harming the 2-3 foot boogers, that crap all over my boat. Anyone ever eat iguana, how does it taste. Hopefully not like gator or frog, which I would describe as chicken with a hint of mud.

 

[RTBDiver]

Is there a market for iguana,

In the Bay Islands? absolutely, For years I have said all these south florida places crying about iguana simply need to bring in a few guys from Flowers Bay and thier dogs, provide a few refridgerated containers and the Florida Iguana problem would be solved

---------- Post added April 25th, 2012 at 04:56 PM ----------

I certainly don't know all the intricacies of the laws for each item from each country. People have referenced 'dumb tourists' in this thread, but how would I really know if the coral is real, if what the vendor says is correct, and have handy those obscure by catch laws for every country I visit if the vendors are not truthful?

Sorry,
I must have misspoke, Actually,Anyone wanting to buy Black Coral because they question the legality while also knowing , such as yourself, that it is not a good idea, is not a dumb tourist but rather an IDIOT looking to skirt the legal system and partake in something they know is not right to start with. Legal or not, Do you feel it is good to buy tourist oriented things made from coral of any type or color? Would you buy sea fans? dried seahorses, conch shells??

 

[laurenceh]

what kind of "divemaster" would even need to ask if black coral or tortoise (turtle most likely) shell is ok to buy? regardless of what a salesman/con/artist tells you, you'd have to be sub-moronic to even consider purchasing something like that in this day and age. unbelievable

 

[sololady]

You would be guessing wrong. I can assure you that if you try to get on an airplane with any of the 'illegal' items, they will almost surely be found and they WILL be taken from you at least...beautifully carved conch shells included, I believe.

The sellers don't care about customs or what happens to you after you buy their 'products.' I wouldn't be surprised if the same items are sold over and over again to gullible tourists. I mean what are the TSA folks going to do with the things they confiscate? Destroy them?

Don't try it...better to throw your money away. At least you won't get hung up at the inspection table.

 

[RTBDiver]

You would be guessing wrong. I can assure you that if you try to get on an airplane with any of the 'illegal' items, they will almost surely be found and they WILL be taken from you at least...beautifully carved conch shells included, I believe.

This is where you would be wrong. Sure, if folks have things on Carry on they may get caught but in checked lugage there is a much greater chance shells and such can get through

 

[DennisS]

This is where you would be wrong. Sure, if folks have things on Carry on they may get caught but in checked lugage there is a much greater chance shells and such can get through

Miscellaneous souvenirs $25, pretty much covers it