California State Beach Regulations

General Regulations (14 Cal. Code of Regs.)

1) Non-commercial Use of Invertebrates. 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: In state parks, state beaches, state recreation areas, state underwater parks, state reserves, national parks, national monuments or national seashores: Only abalones, chiones, clams, cockles, rock scallops, native oysters, crabs, lobsters, ghost shrimp and sea urchins may be taken. Worms may be taken except that no worms may be taken in any mussel bed, unless worms are taken incidental to the harvesting of mussels. Mussels may be taken in all areas except in state park system reserves or natural preserves (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 29.05(b)(1)).

2) Commercial Use of Invertebrates. In and offshore [to 1,000 feet offshore] of all other state ecological reserves, state parks, state reserves, national parks, national monuments, or national seashores, only the following invertebrates may be taken: crabs, ghost shrimp, jackknife clams, sea urchins, squid, and worms, except that no worms may be taken in any mussel bed, nor may any person pick up, remove, detach from the substrate any other organisms, or break up, remove or destroy any rocks or other substrate or surfaces to which organisms are attached (14 Cal. Code of Reg. 123(f)(4)).

3) Aircraft. No person shall parachute into, fly an aircraft, ultralight vehicle, or hand glider over, or parasail or balloon over any State Park unit at an altitude of less than 500 feet unless authorized by the Department [of Parks and Recreation] by posted order in accordance with Section 4301(i) (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4304).

4) Animals. No person shall molest, hunt, disturb, injure, trap, take, net, poison, harm, kill, feed, touch, tease, or spotlight any kind of animal or fish, or so attempt, except that fish and bait may be taken other than for commercial purposes in accordance with the state laws and regulations, provided, however, that no person shall use or discharge a spear or bow and arrow in units under control of the Department [of Parks and Recreation] (except in underwater parks or on designated archery ranges). This section does not apply to activities undertaken by the Department in conjunction with its resource management activities (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4305(a)).

5) Driftwood. No person may gather more than 50 pounds or one piece of driftwood each day in the State Park System...Use of tools, vehicles, and equipment for the collection of driftwood is prohibited. Upon a finding that it will be in the interest of the Department of Parks and Recreation, the District Superintendent may, by posting, authorize the collection of driftwood from specified units on a temporary basis, either by the general public or by commercial operators, if necessary, in quantities, for purposes, and by means other than as specified by this section (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4306).

6) Geological Features. No person shall destroy, disturb, mutilate, or remove earth, sand, gravel, oil, minerals, rocks, paleontological features, or features of caves except rockhounding may be permitted as defined and delineated in Sections 4610 through 4610.10 (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4307).

7) Archaeological Features. No person shall remove, injure, disfigure, deface, or destroy any object of archaeological, or historical interest or value (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4308).

8) Litter. No person shall leave, deposit, drop, or scatter bottles, broken glass, ashes, waste paper, cans or other litter in a unit except in a receptacle designated for that purpose, and no person shall import any litter, or import and deposit any litter into or in any unit from other places (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4310).

9) Dogs. No person shall bring a dog into, permit a dog to enter or remain, or possess a dog in units under control of Department of Parks and Recreation unless the dog is on leash of no more than six feet in length and under the immediate control of a person or confined in a vehicle (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4312(a)). No person shall bring a dog into, permit a dog to enter or remain, or possess a dog on any beach adjacent to any body of water in any unit except in portions of units designated for dogs (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4312(c)).

10) Weapons and Traps. No person shall carry, possess or discharge across, in or into any portion of any unit any weapon, firearm, bow and arrow, trap, net, or device capable of injuring, or killing any person or animal, or capturing any animal, or

damaging any public or private property, except where the Department of Parks and Recreation finds that it is in its best interests (14 Cal. Code of Regs. 4313)