With temperatures soaring this weekend, many of us will be looking forward to enjoying a trip to the beach in the coming weeks.
However, beachgoers are being warned they could be breaking the law without even realising it, and fines may be on the way.
Under the Coastal Protection Act 1949, the removal of any natural material such as shells, sand and pebbles from public beaches in the UK is illegal.
Previously, a tourist who had holidayed near Crackington Haven beach, Cornwall was forced to drive hundreds of miles back to the popular holiday spot in order to return some pebbles he had taken from the beach.
Additionally, in 2018, the Metro reported on a group of thieves who were described by the paper as ‘grain gangs’.
They would use JCB diggers to take large quantities of sand from Hemsby beach in Norfolk, in order to sell it on to builders.
Meanwhile over in Devon, council gardeners were forced to microchip public plants after suffering a “severe” amount of thefts in the area.
Andrew Ward, ecological consultant at ecology and biodiversity consultancy firm Arbtech, told the BBC: “What may seem like a harmless holiday keepsake is, in fact, part of a delicate and vital ecosystem—and could even cost you a fine of up to £1,000.
“One person taking a pebble may not seem like much, but when thousands of people do the same thing every summer, the consequences add up.
“The law isn’t there to spoil anyone’s fun—it’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our environment.
“By leaving the beach just as we found it, we help ensure it remains a thriving habitat for generations to come.”
Why is it illegal?
Bans on seemingly harmless acts can be enforced by local councils, and can see offenders fined up to £1,000 as a penalty.
Yet while it may seem perfectly harmless, removing pebbles and other natural matter from the coast is in fact damaging to the environment.
As suggested by the name of the Act, and as stated in the introduction of the Act, taking natural material from a beach in the UK is illegal, in order to protect Britain's beaches “against erosion and encroachment by the sea”.
Pebbles and other natural matter act as a natural sea defence against coastal erosion, which many experts warn has become even more of an issue due to climate change.
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