To remove a pebble from a beach?

[Pigeonpoodle]

I saw this on another thread… Apparently “everyone knows that’s wrong!” I’ve very occasionally taken the odd interesting pebble as a momento. AIBU to have done that… What on earth could be the problem with it? One pebble amongst billions!

You are not meant to take anything as it disturbs the natural ecosystem. If everyone took a pebble/shell it would be fucked.

Sea glass starts as man-made litter so I can’t really see how anyone could reasonably object.

What about driftwood? Will the artists who use this be up for theft too?

I grew up by the seaside - children finding a few pretty stones and shells is never not going to seem like an innocent joy to me.

Why would “everyone” take a pebble? Even “everyone” who actually went to a pebble beach? There aren’t exactly convoys of pebble snatchers queuing up at the coast.

This reminds me of the law against rug beating in London streets (with an exception for shaking a doormat after 8am). If there’s a huge problem of everyone doing it, sure, get heavy. But there isn’t, is there?

Yes I do know it is sort of illegal and has environmental impact to remove sand and pebbles from the beach.
Obviously one pebble isnt going to cahse any harm but I think the thinking is that collectively across thousands of people then it could be an issue.
I also think that there are far worse crimes against the sea like the water companies dumping sewage and fishing trawlers and many other things worse than taking one pebble. So I would personally be ok with taking one pebble without feeling like a monster.
You can actually get in a lot of trouble being caught in customs with stuff like this taken from countries beaches so I wouldn't be taking any pebbles or sand from my holidags home with me.

I’m cringing now as I collected quite a few nice pebbles from a beach on Saturday and had no idea this was frowned on now! I do see the logic, though.

There was recently a couple on holiday in Italy who I think went to jail or were fined a huge amount for collecting a bottle of sand.

YABVU and why did you start a whole new thread about this?

I bloody love a nice pebble. I keep 3 or 4 interesting beach pebbles/ small fossils on my desk and usually have one in each of my coat pockets. I tend play with them (subtly!) when I’m stressed in meetings - like natural fidget spinners 😂 I think I’ll risk my illegal pebble collection, as I reckon if I bought as many fidget spinners, I’d be doing rather more harm to the environment.

Its not aimed at the single pebble.

Its to stop wholesale damage to the shore.

The fine can be issued the same way a litter fine can be issued. And normally its up to the LA to police so like littering it is not going to be policed unless someone decides to create an visable environmental problem that will cost the LA money to put right.

The judge only gets involved when people try to argue it-was-not-me or I-have-rights so having a blunt instrument which says Weeeee-Realllllly-Donnnt-Caaaare stops the stupid cases from ending up in court.

Its actually illegal. Not just frowned upon.
Now you are part of the criminal underbelly.
Best buy a balaclava for your next coastal walk.

If this is such a big deal, why are there no signs at beaches saying not to take pebbles or shells home? I go the beach regularly and don’t think I’ve ever seen one.

I sort of get this because take it to its natural conclusion- imagine breaking off a bit of coral reef or similar whilst on holiday as a souvenir? Obviously not all shorelines are equal and a coral reef is different to a load of ugly shingle but you can see the sense in it

It’s not a big deal. They don’t even have anyone from the council policing it do they? It’s just like many laws, used exceptionally

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Not pebbles but I collect sea glass, originally broken glass in the ocean until it is smoothed off by sea action.
Don't know about pebbles but I wish selfish bastards who leave their litter on our beautiful local beaches would take their shit home with them and sometimes dogs crap as well.

Why are you bothering to read it if it gets your knickers in a twist?
OP can start a thread about whatever they want to.

Yes to this, but the aim isnt to stop people from dredging pebbles for concrete making it is to make sure they pay for a licence to dredge pebbles for concrete making.

Many concrete and aggregate companies are based right next to the beach for this very purpose.

I grew up in Norfolk, and used to go to the north Norfolk Beaches regularly and I think I've always known you shouldn't do it! I'm sure I remember seeing signs when I was a kid, and there were definitely some down in Devon in Cornwall.

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A km of beach has about 100 million pebbles. So it would make fuck all difference. The amount of people on here that can’t understand concepts of occurrence!

I had no idea, we often take a little beach momento. I’m not in UK though and I just checked local guidance and it’s ok to take a small quantity (defined as what you can carry in your hands!)

There are, they are normally in the signs that are at the entrance to slip things (cant remember the name) wher it talks about respecting the beach, Colin Crab says, respect my home etc etc etc sort of thing

Colin Crab? Right that fucker can go in my bucket, with my pebbles.

Not something I’d ever do, but my son brought me a heart shaped pebble back from a beach. The scoundrel.

People do this on our local beach.

But it's not just one, it's a bag sometimes. I've even seen a woman with a boot full of stones.

Even one adds up if everyone does it.

But the thing is that pebble bank is the man-made flood defences. My council tax pays for it & tbh, I'm fed up of people stealing it.

Just don't...