Should You Pick Up That Seashell?

[John A Lewis]

People have been going down to the shores since the advent of Man. They go for a variety of reasons: to fish, gather interesting things cast up from the waters and to collect items of fascination.

What many find of great desire are seashells of all different types and shapes, colors and styles. Some have even taken this need to collect with them underwater as scuba divers--but is that really a good thing to do?

What about conservation concerns, ecology of the seas, preservation of living organisms?

Learn more at

SCUBA DIVING AND SEASHELLS: THE DO’S AND DON’TS

 

[TMHeimer]

Anyone who has read my posts over the years knows I try to edge into this topic from time to time, being a serious shell collector (not one who takes a shell as a souvenier, etc.), and knows that I would be the first to respond here. My only reason for taking OW 10+ years ago was to collect. There a couple of old threads on SB from 8-9 years ago where I voiced all of my opinions on this, and received the expected tar and feathering. The article you mentioned goes through all the aspects that everyone who agrees one should never take or touch anything in the sea that's alive believes in. For another perspective (I don't know how to do a "link"--computer dumb), Google: Felix Lorenz:Worldwide Seashells, click on "conservation"-- I particularly like the last paragraph.
Anyone have a guess which shells are in any kind of danger? There are VERY few. Queen (Pink) Conch (due to consumption of "Conch Fritters"--there are conch "farms" now to raise more for consumption), and a select other few which have been really overharvested commercially due to their attractiveness (not so much for true collectors, but to fill the bushel baskets in shell shops as souvenirs in such places as Florida and other Southern locations). Anyone have any data on approximately how many hermit crabs (even of any one of the quite a few species) exist in the world?
I have found in talking with many divers, many OW student divers, reading SB, dive mags., etc. that at least in today's world very few divers have any interest at all in even looking at shells, much less collecting them. The topics are always fish, octopi, nudibranchs, coral, diving with sharks, rays, etc. That may have been different in 1978, I don't know since I started diving in 2005, long after shell collecting became taboo.

 

[TMHeimer]

My last point--115 views, no replies.

 

[NYCNaiad]

My perspective is probably a bit different than most. I love shells. I'm also a vegetarian so it's not just conservation that prohibits me from collecting anything live whether it's an at risk species or not. No judgment of you...this is just why I personally won't catch/collect anything living whether it's in a shell or not.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

at least in today's world very few divers have any interest at all in even looking at shells, much less collecting them. The topics are always fish, octopi, nudibranchs, coral, diving with sharks, rays, etc.

...well, I for one find that unfortunate. What was it that first got me interested in the ocean, all those years ago as a barefoot boy? Shells, that's what. I was the kind of kid who learned to read at home before I was old enough for school, and some of the first books I read were about putting the right name to each shell. I knew them all -- at least on my local beach. To this day, shells hold more interest for me than sharks. But like NYCNaiad, I just can't see myself killing a live one just for the shell. I would rather learn how they live -- with, for instance, so many predatory gastropods that feed on other gastropods, how do they divide up niches to exist in the same area? I learned early that putting the right name to an animal (or plant) was really only the most rudimentary knowledge of it...

 

[TMHeimer]

258 views, 2 responses. Again, not much diver interest in shells. Maybe a post in The Pub would tar and feather me more?

 

[John A Lewis]

258 views, 2 responses. Again, not much diver interest in shells. Maybe a post in The Pub would tar and feather me more?

Why should anyone tar and feather you? You seem likable and sincere.

 

[uncfnp]

I occasionally collect an interesting shell. But only empty and not in protected area. My mom is 87 and it brings a smile to her face when I bring one home for her.

I do not collect living shells but would if not prohibited and I planed to eat it.

 

[lowviz]

My perspective is probably a bit different than most. I love shells. I'm also a vegetarian so it's not just conservation that prohibits me from collecting anything live whether it's an at risk species or not. No judgment of you... ...//...

My perspective is probably a bit different too. I love to look at shells too, no interest in collecting them, but they can be most amazing to look at.

Vegetarian. Plants are a truly amazing life-form. They don't need much of anything more than sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and a bit of minerals. Given that, they will thrive and clean up our mess on this planet. You are a fundamental plant parasite, so no real "boost" for you from claiming to eat only plants. No intended "dis" either, just keeping it real. We all need to steal another life-form's assembled nutrients to survive. That is just how it works, no value judgment.

I've seen a lot of local shell collectors here in my own backyard. Bottom draggers. Strongly suggest you see what they leave behind before you chastise someone for picking up a shell.

 

[falcon125]

People are the problem. Overpopulation of 1 dominant species. But no one will address the problem so we have discussions like this. How do we make a simple rule to fix complex problem? The world needs fewer people and yet we want to create more. Its our nature and it will be our demise. We can survive anything, except our own sympathy.