About Us

Shells and starfish have many decorative functions and can be used just about anywhere for any occasion. They bring a sense of calm and freshness that only the sea can offer and with this in mind, we have started this website to make these beautifull specimens available directly to you. As we have only just begun, you will see only a few products, but this list will grow daily. We are also offering all Australian customer FREE SHIPPING on all purchases. I'm sure that the first thing that comes to mind, especially in our ever growing environmentally conscious world, is that "I love these shells, but surely its not good for our environment". Thats exactly what we thought when we started selling them and was the first question we asked our suppliers. The truth is, collection and trading in shells has been growing on for centuries and we only trade it CITES certified specimens. We do not, and will never, trade in black market shells. Below is an extract from the concerns raised with our suppliers. "Like everyone else who loves the beach and marine environment, we too share concerns about the future of coral reef species and those communities that rely on them for their livelihood. The status of wildlife worldwide is monitored by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and data is recorded at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC). Species identified as potentially threatened are listed in the IUCN Red-list. We do not trade in IUCN Red-List species. Species identified as threatened are listed under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an agreement between most countries to restrict the international movement of wildlife unless it is obtained from an approved sustainable source. CITES is strictly enforced internationally, and exporters are required to meet very high standards of sustainability before export permits are granted. The IUCN has a Sustainable Use Specialist Group, which is all about “using renewable natural resources sustainably means doing so in such a way that does not threaten a species by over-use, yet it will optimise benefits to both the environment and human needs. Sustainably using natural resource, including plants, forests, fish, and other wildlife, is an important conservation tool when addressing the increasing pressures on nature by people.” Starfish are extremely prolific breeders, with females of some species producing millions of eggs. The shells and starfish collected are common, commercial-grade shells and they are not threatened. Communities in developing countries have harvested seashells and urchins for food for centuries. The income from the subsequent sale of the remaining shell is often their sole livelihood. In many of the developing countries, these communities are being taught and encouraged to exercise stewardship of their reefs to ensure sustainable harvesting into the future, for example, coral harvesting in Fiji, and seahorse farming in the Philippines. The shells, starfish and sea urchins we sell are not threatened species. The greatest issue facing coral reefs today is climate change, bleaching and coral disease."