International Regulations

The goal of this new page (july 2010)  is to list  actual restrictions concerning seashell collecting worldwide. If you have any informations about such regulations, please end a mail at  CLICK ON THIS LINK, we'll update this page.

 

Main restrictions

– The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; http://www.cites.org/), created in 1975 have this goal :
"CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorized through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species."
The Species Checklist can be found there : http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/pub/checklist08/Checklist.pdf

 

– Collecting live or dead seashells while scuba diving is usually forbidden worldwide.

 

– Mediterranean protected species can be found there : http://www.sosgrandbleu.asso.fr/dossiers/les-coquillages-proteges-de-mediterranee/

 

Local Restrictions

 As laws can change regulary, we decided to list countries that have restrictions (and not to comment the restrictions that may change). Meaning that you have to enquire of local rules before going live shell collecting in these countries.

 

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Protected species, read above)

– France (It is forbidden to collect any mollusc at night or during the day with a flashlight)

 

INDIAN OCEAN

– Mauritius island
– Maldives archipelago
– Reunion island
– Seychelles archipelago

 

PACIFIC OCEAN

– Solomon islands