You Might Want To Put That Seashell Down On N.J. Beaches

No Seashell Collecting This Summer?

One of my favorite things at the beach, besides swimming, is shell collecting. I always enjoy grabbing a few shells when we travel and hit new beaches. The reason I bring this up is that a new article from NJ.com talks about how some say you may wanna think twice before picking up some shells while visiting the Jersey Shore this summer.

Get our free mobile app

You may want to limit the number of shells you take home. According to NJ.com “There are definitely guidelines,” Samantha Kreisler, communications specialist at the nonprofit New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, told NJ Advance Media while venturing out to one of Sandy Hook’s National Park Service beaches.

Kreisler added "Like when you do find something cool on the beach, open it, make sure nobody’s home, make sure there’s no hermit crab or anything living in it,” she added, “and maybe if you’re taking, don’t take a lot.”

Officials also noted that shells are great for research and educational purposes. Shells also help scientists study ocean health and acidification. Here is a checklist of shell collecting from the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, which NJ.com included in their story.

• Conduct a “sniff” test. A quick whiff can tell you — if foul smell is detected — that decaying flesh could be left in the shell
• “If you really want to have a sea shell, choose only 1 or 2 specimens — the fewer the better, leaving more behind for ecosystem use,” organizers said
• Ensure the shell is fully “empty” and that there is no living creature still inside. While it may be tempting to take home a mud snail or hermit crab, marine organisms do best in their natural environments and not your tank at home
• It’s probably best to leave behind spiral shells because they can turn into comfy homes for other animals