Are you in the habit of picking up pebbles and shells on the beach? You’d better refrain.
Going to the beach is not just about swimming and sunbathing. Some people prefer to walk there or even collect beautiful shells or pebbles. Collectors are fascinated by these because of their shapes or colors and often look great decorating a bathroom or garden. Some people even keep them as a souvenir at home.
However, this is not necessarily a good idea. Pebbles, like sand, are important habitats for many marine creatures, such as mollusks and crustaceans. By collecting them, these animals see their number of potential refuges reduced, thus threatening their survival. For shells, they are not only hiding places: by disintegrating over time, they provide minerals and nutrients needed by certain animals and plants.
They are also important for the safety of people who live near beaches. The more pebbles and sediments there are on a beach, the more they can absorb wave energy. Without them, the beach gradually loses its ability to act as a natural barrier against flooding and erosion.
While there is nothing to fear from a single person removing a few pebbles from a beach, the cumulative effect of a large number of people doing the same thing can disrupt these essential natural processes. While this may seem insignificant, not picking up shells and pebbles can play an effective role in protecting the coastline.
Moreover, the French Environmental Code, in theArticle L321-8specifies that on beaches, “the extraction of materials is limited or prohibited when it risks compromising, directly or indirectly, the integrity of beaches, coastal dunes, cliffs, marshes, mudflats, seagrass areas, spawning grounds, natural deposits of live shellfish and marine farming operations”.
“Gleaning pebbles can cost you a fine of 1,500 euros,” even specifies the government website. Service-Public.fr. An amount almost as salty as sea water and in any case just as indigestible. The authorities may be tolerant if it is in small quantities, but that is all. The same conditions apply to empty shells and sand.