She Stopped Selling Sea Shells – Sustainable Seashells

I thought I would share a discussion we’ve been having with lots of people on instagram and in Hawaii about the plight of mollusks (you may know them as shells), and the overexploitation of reefs. To buy shell jewelry or not to buy? How can we make wearing shells more sustainable? Make your own choice, but read on for some food for thought.

.

Shell Souvenirs & Jewelry
In parts of Asia the seashell trade employs thousands of people. And the market is strong for them since most of us love seashells and buy them as souvenirs. As a diver and ocean lover, I admit, I adore them, both alive and as empty ocean treasures. But seashells are coveted not just by people, but also by marine wildlife (more on this below).

.

But first, did you know that the vast majority of shells you buy were harvested LIVE and killed for their shells? (Please note this does not apply to sustainable, sand-picked Niihau shells) The animal is not used for food, but is instead dried, while alive, in the sun, then submerged in vats of oil and acid. Some species have gone extinct as a result.  This is done by truckloads at a time. Surely there is a less cruel way to do this?

.

Yet while alive, those little mollusks served a variety of ecological roles – anchors for life-giving algae and filter-feeding barnacles which help clean water. Some (like the queen conch) clean the water and most provide food for animals like sea turtles, rays, and some sharks. And scientists consider mollusks to be indicators of overall ecosystem health. (nat geo)

.

But eliminating a market is not simple. Thousands of families are dependent on this market; their livelihoods are tied up in it. The only way to convince them to transition to another is if this one doesn’t exist – in other words remove the demand for shells. The only way to change is for you as a consumer to stop buying shells.