Harvesting crustaceans for free dinner puts ecosystem at risk

A sea urchin grows in a tidepool at White Point. Up to 35 purple sea urchins can be taken in a single day, throughout the year.

It was against the backdrop of a pounding surf one recent morning that almost 30 people had gathered on the cragged and slippery folds of White Point tidal pools in San Pedro, California, and set to work with gardening spades, buckets and bags.

As ocean water rippled about their knees, they collected mussels, black turban snails, purple sea urchins and even a lobster. Then, as the tide began to rise, they trundled back to their cars hauling sacks, backpacks and 5-gallon buckets filled with intertidal creatures.