Post #385354 by Tamapoutini on Sat, Jun 7, 2008 3:14 PM

On 2008-06-07 13:08, Basement Kahuna wrote:
Yep...Like the green stuff in California!

I thought that stuff was legal in California? :wink:

My father bought me back two belts made from tortoise-shell from the Phillipines many years ago, made in sections and 'stitched' together with fishing nylon. I gave one away to a jeweller mate along my travels but will see if I can dig the other one out & will flick a pic. Good thick pieces from memory but like P'po, I was always a little reluctant to bother putting the hours into working any for fear of attracting trouble. Even whalebone has been banned from many NZ outlets despite it only being harvested under 'natural' conditions, ie whales that have beached/died of their own accord. Black coral is the same too; even if mistakenly dredged up in fishing nets it must be handed over to authorities who destroy the stuff.. aue!

Jeez: shell, bone, coral.. whats next? Wood?? (theyll be prising the pounamu from my cold dead fingers..haha)