Conversation

Beautiful Budleigh Buns - the Rocks on This Beach Are SO PRETTY But I Cannot Possess Them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMsE_zGYv2s

It is a good question.  The Coastal Protection Act 1949 forbids removal of all materials from beaches, which, if taken extremely literally, means a child would be committing a crime when they bring home a seashell, or indeed, you’d be committing a crime of negligence if you walk away with a bit of sand in your shoe. Obviously there is some nuance required.

Reality:  People are expected to be reasonable. You’re probably not going to be in trouble for taking one rock. This law exists primarily to provide a means to prosecute people or companies who exploit the mineral resources on a bulk or commercial scale, which would cause damage to the coastline.  It must be so, because whilst this law exists, and applies everywhere, you will also find official signage at fossil beaches which tell you about the fossils you can find there with an expectation that they will be collected and taken home.

My interpretation of all this:  be reasonable in general, obey local rules, and in my particular case as a content creator, be responsible - don’t encourage people to disobey the locally-posted rules.

Why was the law worded that way then? Absolutely idiotic.