Shell harvester jailed

[Scared Silly]

Not scuba related but given many like to collect shells:

US woman jailed for collecting seashells

 

[Wookie]

I was lucky enough to find a newly vacated queen conch and a very full horse conch last weekend diving middle sambo. I snagged the empty queen shell, as it was quite beautiful and in perfect condition, but was very sure to check that there was no occupant and no hole in the carapace. The horse conch looked very pleased with himself.

 

[kelemvor]

I was lucky enough to find a newly vacated queen conch and a very full horse conch last weekend diving middle sambo. I snagged the empty queen shell, as it was quite beautiful and in perfect condition, but was very sure to check that there was no occupant and no hole in the carapace. The horse conch looked very pleased with himself.

Why the check for a hole? Is it a concern about the quality of the shell or some part of the laws around collecting shells?

 

[Wookie]

Law of collecting conch. When you collect one to eat (illegal in the USA) you knock a hole in it's spiral that allows you to extract the muscle. If you collect one with a hole, it was likely poached.

 

[ReefGuy]

Law of collecting conch. When you collect one to eat (illegal in the USA) you knock a hole in it's spiral that allows you to extract the muscle. If you collect one with a hole, it was likely poached.

And you don't want to be the one caught holding it.

 

[kelemvor]

I guess I'm lucky I don't collect shells. I was tempted to think they shouldn't have made an example out of a tourist for some minor infraction.. until I saw the photos. That's a LOT of conch and looks commercial to me.

 

[Wookie]

I guess I'm lucky I don't collect shells. I was tempted to think they shouldn't have made an example out of a tourist for some minor infraction.. until I saw the photos. That's a LOT of conch and looks commercial to me.

And sadly, they are just babies....

 

[Wookie]

We had a guy arrested recently for collecting key deer antlers. Sadly, he was shooting the Key Deer to get them. Another fellow stuffed 2 key deer in his trunk and one in the back seat. One didn't make it. You have to wonder how many folks get away with it for every poacher caught....

 

[boulderjohn]

I was lucky enough to find a newly vacated queen conch and a very full horse conch last weekend diving middle sambo. I snagged the empty queen shell, as it was quite beautiful and in perfect condition, but was very sure to check that there was no occupant and no hole in the carapace. The horse conch looked very pleased with himself.

Pleases enlighten this non-Floridian.

You describe finding the conchs while diving. According to how I understand the story, she collected living conchs on the beach. I have never seen a living conch on a beach anywhere. Is that a routine possibility in that area?

 

[kelemvor]

Pleases enlighten this non-Floridian.

You describe finding the conchs while diving. According to how I understand the story, she collected living conchs on the beach. I have never seen a living conch on a beach anywhere. Is that a routine possibility in that area?

That's the story she told. Did you see the photos? I dunno, maybe she was being honest but my gut tells me she was lying her face off.
The article didn't say how many shells she had, just that only 40 of them were still alive.