Beachcombing for shells and sea glass with care

Beachcombing is most respectful when you keep only what is empty, common and allowed. Empty shells, worn sea glass and small pieces of driftwood are usually fine to pick up in many places, while live animals, active nests and anything still living inside a shell should stay where they are. Rules vary by location, so check the signs and local regulations before filling a bag, and remember that the beach is a habitat as well as a place to collect.

Most beachcombing problems come from taking too much, taking things that are still alive or disturbing animals that nest on the sand. A careful walker can enjoy finds for years without leaving a mark, and the habits below are the basis for doing that. They cover what to keep, what the rules usually mean and how to protect the wildlife that depends on the same stretch of shore.

Knowing what is fine to keep

Empty shells are the most common find on most beaches. Bivalves such as clams and cockles have two halves held together by a hinge, and a shell that is still joined along the hinge with both halves closed may have a living animal inside. Choose shells that are separated or clearly empty, and avoid taking any shell that looks fresh and wet, since it may still be in use. Whelks, periwinkles and similar snail shells are often empty when washed up, but check for a hermit crab living inside before you pick one up.

Sea glass is glass that has been tumbled and frosted by sand and water over a long time, often years. Its rounded edges and matte surface distinguish it from freshly broken glass, which can be sharp. Empty sea urchin shells and dead sand dollars are usually fine to take in small amounts where local rules allow. A live sand dollar is dark and velvety and lives under the sand, while a dead one is bleached white and fragile, so only the dead ones should be taken.

Some natural debris has a job to do where it lies. The wrack line, the band of seaweed and debris left at the high-tide mark, is food and shelter for insects, small crustaceans and shorebirds. Leaving part of it in place helps the beach support the animals that live there. Dune plants depend on the sand that wrack and driftwood help trap, so keep your hands away from dune grasses and the debris around them.

Following local rules and quantity limits

Many nature reserves, national parks and marine protected areas restrict removing any natural material, including shells, stones, sand and driftwood. Other places allow small personal amounts but ban commercial collecting, which often needs a permit. Look for signs at the access points and check the managing authority's guidance before you arrive. If a sign prohibits collecting, take photographs instead, because a picture costs nothing and leaves the beach unchanged.

Where collecting is allowed, keep quantities small. A handful of shells and a few pieces of glass is a reasonable amount for a walk, and it is far easier to carry home than a bucket full. Do not sell what you find without checking the rules, and do not take anything from an area that is clearly being monitored or restored. Removing large quantities of shells can change the structure of the beach over time, and it can deprive wildlife of material it needs.

Litter is the one thing every beachcomber should take away. Bring a small bag and collect plastic, bottle caps, fishing line and netting, which can entangle birds and marine animals. Sharp broken glass and any litter you find should go in your litter bag and then into a trash can, not into your collection. A walker who leaves the beach cleaner than they found it is practicing responsible beachcombing in the most useful way.

Protecting nests, wildlife and the beach

Many shorebirds nest on open sand or pebbles, and their eggs and chicks are well camouflaged. Stay well back from any roped-off area, watch for birds that run or call close to the ground, and keep dogs leashed where signs ask for it. Stay on the wet sand near the water rather than walking over the dry sand above the tide line, where many birds nest. A walker passing close by can flush a bird off its eggs, so keep your distance.

On beaches where sea turtles nest, avoid walking through the marked nesting zone, and do not use bright lights after dark. Seal pups often rest on beaches as well, and they should be left alone. Keep well back, at least as far as local guidance recommends, and do not approach a mother seal with a pup. Egg cases from skates and sharks, sometimes called mermaid's purses, are usually found dry on the wrack line, and the light, dry ones there are typically empty. Where local rules allow it, you can take those. A heavy, full-feeling case in the shallows may still hold a developing animal, so leave it in the water where you find it.

Finding a nest, a pup or a stranded animal is the moment to stop and step back. Note the location and report it to the local wildlife or coastal authority, which will know how to respond. Taking only a few well-chosen pieces, and leaving the rest for the next visitor and the animals that share the shore, keeps the beach worth visiting for everyone.