Is it illegal to take seashells from beach

[Asimplelife22]

I was wondering I took toddler to local beach and collected old cockle and old oyster shells she took them home to paint

I thought this was ok but someone said I stole them from the beach ....

Can I ask as I've been looking on internet and cannot find an answer .

They didn't contain animals they were old cockle and old oyster shells only

Was this illegal??? She wants to do it again and I don't want to get in trouble

I doubt that a few cockle shells would see you up before a judge how would anyone know how many there were to start with?

No, you won't get into trouble.

I've never heard of it being illegal, any more than it is illegal to collect fossils that have fallen on the beach. As long as you aren't harming animals (by taking shells with the creature still inside) the shells are just natural waste material.

I believe it is illegal in some countries though to collect shells and try to take them out of the country on planes etc. I imagine that is something to do with the spread of disease or similar.

It's fine. I've always done it. Who told you it was illegal?!

No, it's not illegal.

Well then I need arresting

I wouldn't collect from a beach where there was an official sign to discourage or forbid it, but if there wasn't I would think it ok to pick a few items.

Shells and driftwood are renewable, rock material less so IMO.

I think it is illegal to take sack loads of sand or oebbles from the beach (people pinch them for sand pits, or for shingling their garden etc.) so maybe that is what your friend was thinking of ? But shells come and go with the tide, taking them isn't going to cause erosion.

pebbles not oebbles (you can take all the oebbles you want )

I don't think you can take pebbles or sand but dead old shells shouldn't be a problem.

I used to live on the beach and only ever heard not to take pebbles and sand.

I read recently about a man who the police made drive 6 hour back to where he had loaded up stones /rocks for his garden!

I thought the whole point of going to the beach is you build a sandcastle, paddle in the sea and collect shells. And as for stealing sand, they'd need to do an orifice search!

I have a bag of stones from Llandudno beach

It is in some countries.

But not in the UK.

Certain countries or beaches are protected but most uk ones aren’t

I didn't know you couldn't collect pebbles. I've definitely seen TV programmes where they say go after a big storm and you can find amber etc. - they are encouraging people to take them.

We were told not to take wood, sand or stone and pebbles.

Shells are fine !

It's somewhere in the uk. I remember someone got ordered to return some.

However taking 1 or 2 fine, unless from a conservation area.

I grew up by the sea an go back with dh and dd. Pebbles/rocks no. Seashells? Fine. Dead/unattached seaweed also fine - good for the garden.

fucking hope not

I didn't think so either it was my friend that said it to me.

Excellent back to beach tomorrow