Addressing the open illegal trade in large marine mollusc shells in Pangandaran, Indonesia

Vincent Nijman; Denise Spaan; Marie Sigaud; K. Anne-Isola Nekaris

Vincent Nijman Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford UK
Denise Spaan Institute for Neuroethology, University of Veracruz, Xalapa, Mexico
Marie Sigaud Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford UK
K. Anne-Isola Nekaris Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford UK

Abstract

Several species of large marine molluscs are formally protected in Indonesia and cannot be traded commercially. We address the trade in these species in the coastal resort of Pangandaran, West Java, Indonesia, based on five visits between January 2013 and August 2016. Traders openly displayed species such as horned helmet Cassis cornuta (364 shells in 31 shops; 2015 prices of US$14/shell), chambered nautilus Nautilus pompilius (173 shells, 23 shops; US$14/shell) and Triton’s trumpet Charonia tritonis (76 shells, 10 shops; US$51/shell) during each visit. The largest number of shells per shop was 40 (January 2013) and 16 (December 2015), but most shopkeepers offered smaller numbers. Prices for individual shells remained relatively stable over the three-year survey period, and the average retail value was US$150 (January 2013) to US$100 (December 2015) per shop, due to a diminished number of shells offered by individual shops. To curb the trade in these protected species we recommend that three points need to be addressed: firstly, the level of monitoring allowing real time reporting of violations must be increased; secondly, law enforcement in Pangandaran and appropriate prosecution of law breakers needs to be initiated; and thirdly, additional legislation and regulations for selected species may need to be introduced.