Can you take seashells, rocks or tide pool animals from San Diego beaches?

A shell in the pocket is one of the oldest beach souvenirs, and in most of San Diego it's fine. The catch is that the coast is a patchwork: state marine reserves, a national monument, state beaches and City beaches each have their own rule, and a few of them cover rocks and empty shells, not just live animals. We checked CDFW's tide pool and marine protected area regulations, the National Park Service, California State Parks rules and the San Diego Municipal Code on November 8, 2026.

Marine reserves: leave everything

In a state marine reserve, the rule is: "It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource." CDFW's page for Cabrillo SMR, off Point Loma, spells it out: no rocks, shells, fish or algae. The same no-take rule covers Matlahuayl SMR off La Jolla Shores and South La Jolla SMR off the Bird Rock and Tourmaline stretch. Boundaries are drawn by coordinates from the mean high tide line, so check CDFW's MPA pages before you go.

State and City beaches: rocks stay

• —State parks and beaches: 14 CCR §4307 says "No person shall destroy, disturb, mutilate, or remove earth, sand, gravel, oil, minerals, rocks" in a state park unit.
• —City of San Diego: Municipal Code §63.0102(c)(4) makes it unlawful to remove natural vegetation, soil or rock in any park without the City Manager's written permission, and the code defines park to include "all public beaches, beach areas, bays, and wetlands within the City."
• —Empty shells elsewhere: asked about shell collecting, CDFW scientist Carrie Wilson said that unless a beach is in an MPA that prohibits it, "Fish and Wildlife laws don't prohibit shell collection," but a city ordinance might.

Live tide pool animals: license and limits

• —License: anyone 16 or older needs a valid California sport fishing license; CDFW says Southern California also requires an Ocean Enhancement Validation.
• —The 1,000-foot rule: under 14 CCR §29.05, most invertebrates can't be taken in tide pools or anywhere from the high tide mark to 1,000 feet out from the low tide mark.
• —The exceptions: limpets, moon and turban snails, clams, mussels, rock scallops, octopuses, crabs, sand dollars, sea urchins and a few others. Sea stars aren't on the list.
• —By hand only: CDFW says pry bars, knives and other tools can't be used to pull animals off rocks.
• —Abalone: closed in all ocean waters until at least April 1, 2036.

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Take nothing

1. 1Cabrillo National Monument tide pools — National monument plus Cabrillo SMR
2. 2La Jolla Shores (Kellogg Park) — Matlahuayl SMR lies offshore
3. 3Tourmaline Surfing Park — CDFW access point for South La Jolla SMR

State park rules

1. 4Torrey Pines State Beach — No removing sand, gravel or rocks

Approximate points. Reserve boundaries are set by coordinates; check CDFW's maps.

See these on the full San Diego map

Want to see the tide pools at their best? Check the best low-tide days this winter and our Cabrillo National Monument guide. Fishing from a pier instead? See fishing license rules for San Diego piers.