collection off the California coast

[reret10]

Hi reefers,
My friend jackson and I are setting up a ten gallon nano coldwater tank. We live quite near the ocean and we would love to be able to collect animals from the ocean. I know people hate wild collecting but I thought there might be some invasive species of some sort of chiton or something that we could collect. In the end all we really want to do is grab some cool rocks and stuff and see what comes off them. would this be legal?? Are there any parts of the coast where collecting is legal without a lisence. Where can I get a lisence if its possible and cheap?

[Drae]

California isn't as strict as Florida about collecting but Ibelieve it is still illegal. There's more then you might think in those cold waters too. I'm originally from L.A and remember seeing all sorts of animals as a kid snorkeling. Just remember to go to a remote area of you collect anything. The closer to San Diego the better.

[SaltwaterSensei]

I would check with fish and game. It might be as simple as getting a fishing license....

[Biodork]

Check out this website, maintained by the CA Fish and Game: http://californiaoutdoorsqas.com/

There are a few posts about collecting marine animals for home aquariums. The general answer is that it is illegal to collect any finfish and transport them alive to a home tank. You can collect some inverts with a sport fishing license. Here is a link to the 2013-2014 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=59205&inline=true. It's a beast of a document, but should answer some of your questions with regards to specific species. You may also want ask about collecting rocks. I doubt there are regulations in place like Florida, but better safe than sorry...

Good luck, when I lived in Santa Cruz, I always wanted a cold water system. Just could never afford the chiller.

[saf1]

Consult with the fish and game closest to the area you want to collect. If it is a state park chances are high you will not be allowed to take anything out of the water or off the beach. The documents provided above are a good place to start.

In a area such as Monterey for example you can't because most beaches or coast with access are parks. Southern Ca and Catalina for example has a goby but I am almost positive you can't collect.

I'm always checking with the fish and game because I dive a lot up and down the coast. Only thing I usually take are a few small shells for my hermits or to put frags on.

[reret10]

how about rocks and sand??? like at san clemente there are tons of rocks and stuff.

[reret10]

ok so this is the general invert collection laws


29.05. GENERAL.
(a) Except as provided in this article there are no closed seasons, closed hours or minimum size limits
for any invertebrate. The bag limit on all invertebrates for which the take is authorized and for which
there is not a bag limit otherwise established in this article is 35. In San Francisco and San Pablo bays
and saltwater tributaries east of the Golden Gate Bridge invertebrates may not be taken at night except
from the shore.
(b) Take of all invertebrates is prohibited within state marine reserves. Take of certain invertebrates
may be prohibited within state marine parks and state marine conservation areas as per sub-section
632(b). In addition, tidal invertebrates may not be taken in any tidepool or other areas between the
high tide mark (defined as Mean Higher High Tide) and 1,000 feet seaward and lateral to the low tide
mark (defined as Mean Lower Low Water) except as follows:
(1) Except where prohibited within state marine reserves, state marine parks, state marine conservation areas, or other special closures only the following may be taken: red abalone, limpets, moon
snails, turban snails, chiones, clams, cockles, mussels, rock scallops, native oysters, octopuses, squid,
crabs, lobsters, shrimp, sand dollars, sea urchins and worms except that no worms may be taken in any
mussel bed, unless taken incidental to the harvesting of mussels.
(c) Measuring Devices. Every person while taking invertebrates which have a size limit shall carry a
device which is capable of accurately measuring the minimum legal size of the species taken.
(d) In all ocean waters skin and Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) divers
may take invertebrates as provided in this article except that in all ocean waters north of Yankee Point
(Monterey Co.), SCUBA may be used only to take sea urchins, rock scallops and crabs of the genus
Cancer. For the purpose of this section, breathing tubes (snorkels) are not SCUBA.


what does it mean?

[reret10]

I think it means if I am not at a marine reserve or at a tide pool I can collect general invertabrates

[saf1]

Call to be safe. It isn't going to hurt you and may actually save you a couple hundred bucks.

Also consider the water temp. I'm looking at my dive logs and the water ranges between 49 and 63 at the surface - seasonal of course. Just something to consider because I don't think 10 gallons is going to cool down that low with such little space.

There was a fella at U.C. Davis that kept a lot of animals from that area while doing some biology research. Forget his name but this was back around 2001. He had cold water tanks keeping star fish, etc.

I've used natural sea water a few times with heavy algae and kryll for treats. But like I said empty shells is about it.

[mayjong]

you can collect out of tide pools. it says "except as follows" and the lists all the stuff you can take out of tidepools.

a couple of thoughts- you still need a fishing license
do not take any fish without further research
DO NOT expect F&G to know what this law says. bring a copy with you!

[reret10]

sweet well thats good news.

[reret10]

I think I am going to go to the san clemente pier and scrape of some snails and hermits and algae and stuff than bring it back and acclemate it.

[karsseboom]

I live in oregon and people just walk out in the tide pools all the time and grab starfish and what not. Nobody cares and nobody's watching. I guess you could say its illegal but...

[Benar]

Wow crazy bunch of laws, guess I'm glad I live in New Zealand.

[reret10]

luckey ducks i mean i dont think anyone would care that much let alone see what I am doing. as long as its not in a state park than I guess its fine

[knight2255]

Call to be safe. It isn't going to hurt you and may actually save you a couple hundred bucks.

Also consider the water temp. I'm looking at my dive logs and the water ranges between 49 and 63 at the surface - seasonal of course. Just something to consider because I don't think 10 gallons is going to cool down that low with such little space.

There was a fella at U.C. Davis that kept a lot of animals from that area while doing some biology research. Forget his name but this was back around 2001. He had cold water tanks keeping star fish, etc.

I've used natural sea water a few times with heavy algae and kryll for treats. But like I said empty shells is about it.

I also read of a guy on the east coast with a cold tank. He had to specially modify the glass because it was dripping with moisture constantly, seemed like a lot of work but cool project tho.

[reret10]

yeah I want it to be more like baja so that I can prevent condensation. Maybe take a few trips to like san deago.

[Johnic]

I live in San Clemente and I can tell ya that most beaches in the area have large signs that state "Please do not remove any items and living animals from the beach"
Trust me, its tempting ...but when I moved here a couple years ago from NYC the tide pools in SoCal inspired me to get back in the hobby....

[reret10]

so I contacted the main marine person for the CA fish and game and she said that you dont need a lisense to collect algae (other than kelp odviously). I dont think marine plants will be much of a problem since theres no signs or any laws against it. I guess it never occured to anyone that someone would want any macro algaes from the tidepools. I think that the pillings on the san clemente pier are a safe bet but I have to wait for confermation on animals from my contact with the fish and game department. I will need to renew my fishing lisence though which kinda sucks because its expensive. I think a tidepool sculpen would look so beast for my tank though. They dont grow more than 3 inches.

[Caronte]

My parents live in Aptos, close to Santa Cruz and my first tank was a cold water too. I filled with many wild animals that I pick from the beach like mussels, urchins, starfish, a crab, staff like that. Even I use "fresh" ocean water to do my water changes, but due to my inexperience, that tank was a big failure for me.

[AquaticEngineer]

I live in oregon and people just walk out in the tide pools all the time and grab starfish and what not. Nobody cares and nobody's watching. I guess you could say its illegal but...

Not illegal at all in Oregon :)

You just have to abide by the catch limits in the fishing regulations for unclassified invertebrates (10 in aggregate per person per day) and stay out of marine gardens and preserves.

I had to show some lady about a week ago when I was out collecting that what I was doing was completely ok. She didn't take my word for it, which is why I carry my permits with me and highlighted sections of the regulations.........and she still didn't believe me :lmao: Old people, lol.

[PeTe PoLyP]

I was in southern cali a few years ago, while i was rocking along the rock shelf on the shores of LA Jolla there were a ton of beautiful anemones tucked inside small pools on top of the rocks. There are tons of things you might be able to collect. I don't want to advise you to do anything illegal, so i would most definately just call game and fish to inquire about what can, and where you can collect. I'm sure they would be more than happy to answer your questions.

[karsseboom]

Not illegal at all in Oregon :)

You just have to abide by the catch limits in the fishing regulations for unclassified invertebrates (10 in aggregate per person per day) and stay out of marine gardens and preserves.

I had to show some lady about a week ago when I was out collecting that what I was doing was completely ok. She didn't take my word for it, which is why I carry my permits with me and highlighted sections of the regulations.........and she still didn't believe me :lmao: Old people, lol.

Thanks for clearing that up.