For most folk, holidays are a time to unwind, experience wonder and create lifelong memories. Leaving behind those sparkling seas and sun-drenched beaches isn’t easy. So it’s only natural that we’d want to take a little reminder from our holiday back home with us. Marine souvenirs – whether they’re bought in shops or found on the beach – can remind us of the places we’ve been, long after our tans have faded. But did you know that, with every shell or piece of coral taken from its natural habitat, the marine ecosystem suffers? The long-term impact can be devastating for coral reefs!

Here are six reasons why marine souvenirs are harmful to our oceans and what you can do to help turn the tide (pardon the pun!) on the marine life trade.

It’s not just “one shell”

It’s oh-so tempting, isn’t it? You’re strolling along the beach or snorkelling offshore when something pretty catches your eye. Like a magpie, you’re drawn to it. It would look so lovely on your shelf at home. And, after all, it’s just one little shell. No harm done, right? Well, not quite.

According to the World Tourism Organisation, in 2018 worldwide international tourist arrivals increased by roughly 6% to a whopping 1.4 billion. And that doesn’t even include the millions of people travelling within their own countries. With 80% of all tourism taking place in coastal areas, that’s one heck of a lot of tourists strolling along the beach, combing the sands for trinkets. Your “one little shell” may seem like a drop in the ocean (sorry!) but imagine if every other tourist picked up one shell too...every single day. The number soon adds up and the long-term cumulative impact is devastating for marine habitats.

It fuels the marine life trade

Pocketing the odd shell you find on the beach is one thing but supporting the marine life trade (also known as the ‘marine-curio trade’) poses an even bigger threat to coral reefs. This global industry takes huge amounts of marine life from the ocean to sell to tourists as souvenirs, like jewellery or ornaments. In fact, it’s estimated that around 1.5 million live stony corals and 4 million pounds of coral skeletons are taken from our oceans every year.

On top of this, millions of marine invertebrates – as well as pufferfish and seahorses – are also supplied to aquariums and, in some cases, traded for traditional medicine. Often, these creatures are sourced illegally, fuelling the illegal wildlife trade: an industry that can generate up to $23 billion dollars each year.

While buying marine souvenirs may seem like an innocent way of supporting local people, you’re actually fuelling this unsustainable trade and contributing to the destruction of marine ecosystems. And nobody wants that on their conscience, right?

It disrupts the marine ecosystem

Who could forget Mufasa’s epic speech about the circle of life? Well, it’s the same deal under the sea as it is on the African plains. Everything in the ocean is interconnected. This means all forms of life in the ocean are naturally recycled. Many of our ‘souvenirs’ play a big role in maintaining healthy reef ecosystems by providing habitat for other species and producing important nutrients as they break down.

When we take things from the sea, we’re taking away vital elements that the ecosystem needs to survive. Take Triton's Trumpet (Charonia tritonis), for example. This creature – or specifically, the shell of this creature – is one of the most sought after souvenirs in the marine life trade (so much so that it’s now vulnerable to extinction). Not least because it can grow up to an amazing two feet long. But their role below the water is far more impressive. Coral reefs depend on Triton’s Trumpets to keep the population of Crown-of-Thorns (COT) sea stars in check. Although a known coral predator, COTs’ natural role actually increases coral diversity in a balanced ecosystem. This is because, by eating the faster growing coral species like Acropora, they allow different, slower growing massive corals to grow and form colonies forming a diverse reef. However, when there are too many COTs on the reef, they consume coral tissue faster than it can grow and the ecosystem becomes unbalanced. So, when Triton’s Trumpets are harvested at unsustainable rates, it allows the Crown-of-Thorns (COT) numbers to get too high. This can contribute to an ecological imbalance which, over time, has a massive impact on marine health and biodiversity. And that’s not good.

It threatens endangered species

From beautiful shell jewellery to rows of sea urchins and buckets of pufferfish, most of us will have encountered marine souvenirs at some point on our travels. What’s more, many of these species are often endangered or threatened? The label might say “sustainably sourced” but this is often far from the truth.

The marine life trade has contributed to falling numbers of many vulnerable species, pushing some to the brink of extinction. Six of the seven species of sea turtle are now classified as endangered or critically endangered. Yet, despite a ban on the international trade of turtle products, tourists can still buy turtle shells in many destinations. Seahorses are another victim of the trade with around 1 million collected as seaside mementos each year. This, compounded with habitat loss and a high demand in the traditional medicine trade, means seahorses could face extinction within 25-30 years.

Harvesting methods cause direct reef damage

Here’s another problem: coral reefs are fragile and, often, slow-growing animals. That means that even a small amount of damage can spell disaster. When harvesting, traders will often rake the reefs for curio shell species – like our friend, Triton’s Trumpet – causing instant and direct damage to the coral in the process. Not to mention the destruction that can be caused by the anchoring from the harvesters’ boats.

Then there’s coral poaching which involves illegally harvesting coral from within protected nature reserves or marine parks. During this process, not only are the reefs physically damaged when the coral is broken, stepped on or even blasted with dynamite (yes, this is a thing) but their ability to support the ecosystem is hindered too. In time, as vital coral habitat is destroyed, the unsustainable rate of coral harvesting could lead to some species disappearing forever.

Buying shells is just as bad

Ocean-lovers are often horrified by the idea of buying coral souvenirs, dried seahorses or starfish. Yet, they’ll happily wear a bracelet or necklace made of shells. Surely that’s OK, right? Not really, no. When you buy a shell, the chances are it once provided a cosy little home for a mollusc. Once harvested, these invertebrates are stripped away and left to die, while their shells are polished and sold.

And it’s not just the inhabited shells that should be left well alone. Abandoned or washed-up shells may look like they’re doing nothing but they also do their bit to support the health of the marine ecosystem. Empty shells help stabilise beaches, provide colonisation surfaces for algae and offer habitat for other species too. Not only that but, when they break down, they put vital nutrients back into the marine ecosystem. So, you see, they’re worth far more in the ocean than they are in your jewellery box!

Marine souvenirs belong in the ocean

Most people who buy or collect marine souvenirs do it out of their love and appreciation for the ocean. Often, they’re unaware of the impact their actions have on marine ecosystems. But we all have the power to influence change by choosing not to take shells as souvenirs or buy marine life products while on holiday. Lots of local communities sell shells or other marine souvenirs as a form of income: but they do this because of the huge demand from tourists. Using your consumer power is a great way to show demand for more sustainable souvenirs.

There are heaps of sustainable alternatives you can buy to commemorate your travels and support local communities without harming coral reefs. You could help to keep local traditions – like wood carving or pottery – alive by buying from a local artisan. Or better yet, book with a Green Fins certified dive or snorkel operator for your next holiday and take the time to see and learn about marine life, right where it should be: in the ocean.