Key facts
- Interception
- Customs and Border Patrol K9 intercepted restricted conch shells, corals and seashells from the Bahamas.
- License requirement
- Collecting shells with living organisms requires a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license, even from shore.
- Queen conch rule
- Empty queen conch shells are legal to keep; live queen conch and meat are illegal.
- Spire hole rule
- Possession of a queen conch shell with a hole larger than 1/16 inch in the spire is treated as proof of illegal harvesting.
- Statewide ban
- Taking Bahama starfish or live queen conch is illegal statewide at all times.
- Local limits
- Lee County bans live shells except specific clams and oysters; Manatee County allows two live shells per species daily.
Background
A Customs and Border Patrol Agriculture K9 intercepted restricted seashells and coral from the Bahamas, prompting officials to remind beachgoers of strict harvest laws. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates these wildlife imports, and certain items are protected under international agreements.
Officials have not specified the total financial penalty or exact number of travelers cited during the recent airport interceptions.
Current situation
Collecting shells containing living organisms requires a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license, even when gathering from the shore. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, live oysters, hard clams and mussels can only be harvested from designated, open shellfish areas.
In Florida, FWC says it’s completely legal to keep a queen conch shell as long as it’s already empty when you find it.
| County | Rule |
|---|---|
| Lee County | Taking live shells is illegal except for specific clams and oysters. |
| Manatee County | Harvesters limited to two live shells per species daily. |
Impacts
You cannot kill, injure, or pull a living conch out of its shell to keep the shell or eat the meat. Taking or possessing queen conch meat is strictly illegal.
You cannot possess a queen conch shell if it has a hole larger than 1/16 of an inch punched into its spire (the pointed top section). Poachers often poke a hole here to slice the muscle and pull the living animal out, so having a shell with this specific hole is treated as proof of illegal harvesting.
If you find a shell washed up on the beach that is already completely empty and free of modifications, you are free to take it home. Taking Bahama starfish or live queen conch remains illegal statewide at all times.
Future outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
Local harvest limits also vary depending on the location. In Lee County, taking live shells is illegal except for specific clams and oysters. Manatee County limits harvesters to two live shells per species daily.
If travelers continue to bring restricted shells from the Bahamas, they may face penalties under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations. If beachgoers follow the rules, they can legally collect empty shells without a license. However, if enforcement increases, more interceptions could occur at airports.
Source: fox35orlando.com
