Sea Urchins

May 20, 2021

Question: Can I go tide-pooling for sea urchins in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Answer: Yes, in general, you can collect sea urchins in San Francisco Bay from shore with a fishing license and a take limit of no more than 35 urchins for each species. The take of invertebrates in ocean waters is covered in California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, section 29.05. Section 29.05(a) prohibits the take of invertebrates at night, except from the shore, in San Francisco and San Pablo bays and saltwater tributaries east of the Golden Gate Bridge. There are different regulations that apply to certain areas outside San Francisco Bay that can be found in Section 29.06. There are also areas up and down the state, known as Marine Protected Areas, which are off-limits to the harvesting of any marine life (see section 29.05(b)). Information on Marine Protected Areas in the San Francisco Bay Area can be found on CDFW’s website.