Coastal Foraging
Shellfish
Edible Coastal Plants
Fish
Coastal Foraging is by far the most versatile and plentiful place you can possibly go looking for wild food, and it hosts some of the tastiest and easy-to-gather treats nature has to offer. This is also the one place in nature where you can guarantee to find food with high levels of protein and much-needed fats which are always a premium when it comes to wild food.
Shellfish
When it comes to laws regarding gathering shellfish in the UK there is no single law that governs all shellfish along the entire coast. The general rule is you can gather whatever you want unless that particular beach has its own restrictions. For example on Llansteffan Beach in Wales, there are several commercial cockle beds that anyone can gather from, but the limit is 1kg of cockles per person per day. Always make sure to check where you want to gather from if you’re going after something like razor clams or oysters, but for things like mussels and limpets, there are normally no restrictions at all.
Cockles
Season – All Year Round
Other Names – Non, though often refered to as simply “Clams”
Scientific name – Cardiidae
Phylum – Mollusca
Edible parts – Everything inside the shell
Habitat:
Flat sandy beaches that are able to hold moisture when the tide is out. Since they don’t cling to anything like mussels do they get ground up when the tide comes in if there’s to many rocks and so wont be found on stone or pebble covered beaches.
Identification:
It’s very easy to know what they are as they don’t look similar to other beach-dwelling shellfish. The only possible confusion you could make would be to find a small scallop, but this would be more of a bonus than a problem.
Warnings:
Always make sure they are alive when you find them, to do this simply try and open the shell by trying to prise it open with your thumbnail. If there’s an alive one inside it will tightly hold the shell closed with enough force so you can’t just pop it open. Do another check when you get them home to make sure you throw away any that have died on the journey and make sure you clean and cook them straight away.
Gathering and cooking:
The best time to go gathering is right after a storm as the larger ones get washed onto the surface and are easy to spot. The single best place on a beach you can look are around the edges of the shallow temporary streams which they like to hide in a few inches under the sand. Take a closer look at gathering cockles for a full cleaning and cooking guide.
Mussels
Season – All Year Round
Other Names – Non
Scientific name – Mytilus edulis
Phylum– Mollusca
Edible parts – Everything inside the shell
Habitat:
Anywhere rocks are only exposed for a few hours when the tides out. They cling to rocks with a hair-like glue they make and feed off seawater, they can also overheat and die if they are out of water for too long, so check beaches with plenty of exposed rock and permanent objects for them to cling to. Harbor walls and pier legs are always a good bet, but the general rule is the more rock the better.
Identification:
Cannot be confused with anything else and there are no other shellfish that cling to rocks in tidal areas that are shaped anything like a mussel is. Look for the shape and color and make sure it’s firmly attached to an object. They also like to grow in groups and can be found in huge patches.
Warnings:
Same as with cockles just make sure they are alive by checking how firmly they are holding their shells closed. Another thing to watch is that you don’t pull off a huge clump of them as the bigger groups can mat together. It’s a shame to rip off a load of mussels you didn’t plan to eat.
Gathering and cooking:
Twist and pull with the general rule being the bigger the mussel the firmer it’ll anchor itself to an object. The average-sized ones can normally be twisted off but it may be worth taking a small pair of scissors if you plan to gather a load of them. For a more in-depth look at mussels and what to do with them, have a look at our Gathering Mussels guide.
Limpets
Season – All Year Round
Other Names – Non
Scientific name – Patella vulgata
Phylum– Mollusca
Edible parts – The flat, round lower section of the inside.
Habitat:
Flat rocks that are only exposed for a few hours when the tide is out. They need a relatively flat surface in order to gain suction and so aren’t that common in areas with rough rock. The more tidal rock and the smoother it the more likely you are to find them. Fortunately, they are very common and you’d probably struggle to find a beach in the UK where there aren’t any.
Identification:
Just look for the cone-shaped shell and make sure they are firmly gripped onto the rock. There are no other shellfish of this size with a cone-shaped shell that have a single large sucker underneath and so they can’t be confused with anything dangerous.
Warnings:
The only thing to look out for is if they are still alive, but as long as they are clinging to a rock then you know they are alive. Since it’s difficult to tell if they have died or not when you’ve dislodged one it’s important to get them home and clean and cook them right away.
Gathering and cooking:
When they know you are there they will grip the rock even tighter and become harder to remove. The best thing to do is find a strong stick and give them a single hard wack to knock them off before they have the chance to make it harder. For a more in-depth look at this under-rated shellfish have a look at our guide on gathering limpets.
Winkles
Season – All Year Round
Other Names – Sea snails
Scientific name – Littorina littorea
Phylum– Mollusca
Edible parts – Everything inside the shell.
Habitat:
They can’t survive for long out of water and won’t be found openly on the beach or exposed on rocks. Look for any non-flowing bodies of water on the beach, with rock pools being the best place. They also like to hide in the water-filled cracks on rougher rock making them hard to spot.
Identification:
There are no types of poisonous sea snails in the UK and they cant be confused with anything dangerous. As for knowing them when you see them just look for a small underwater snail.
Warnings:
Do not eat them raw would be the only reasonable warning. They don’t bite or have anything harmful in them, just make sure you cook them properly.
Gathering and cooking:
Being snails that can’t move very fast and don’t have a strong suction to the rock, so just pick them up gently by their shells and put them in a container with some sea water in them so they don’t die before you can cook them. Our Gathering Winkles guide can offer a deeper look at this ugly but tasty shellfish.
Edible Coastal Plants
This includes plants that either live on or very close to the sea. This list does NOT include wild plants that can grow anywhere including next to the sea, if you’d like a list of general wild plants that can be found anywhere, then have a look at our Wild Foods page.
Habitat:
There are two main types of this plant and those are marsh samphire and rock samphire. Both are found near the sea as they like salt and can’t be found in fresh water. Rock samphire can be found growing out of rocks at the back of the beach or on cliffs close to the sea. Marsh samphire is found in the muddy saltwater marshes found at the edges of estuaries.
Identification:
The steams are smooth and grow in sections like bamboo does, the shoots that come off the main stem are nobly and normally only stretch out no more than 3 inches from the main stem.
Warnings:
Because of how it looks it’s hard to confuse it with anything else, and since it only grows in salty areas next to the sea it makes it even harder to confuse. Marsh samphire grows in soil too salty for most other plants and is normally found in large patches all by itself. The biggest danger from this plant comes with getting stuck in the marsh while trying to get some.
Gathering and cooking:
Since rock samphire tends to grow in small amounts it’s best to go after marsh samphire. They taste the same and both have the distinctive salty taste that makes them so good. Be VERY careful if you go into any marsh and don’t risk getting stuck for the sake of some wild food. It’s also a good idea to bring a pair of scissors so you can get a clean cut.
When you get home give it a wash in some fresh water and boil for 4 or 5 minutes. Cook it the same way as you would asparagus with the stems being soft but not mushy. It works well on its own or in dishes where the flavor isn’t masked by other ingredients.
Kelp
Season – All Year Round
Class – Phaeophyceae
Scientific name – Laminariales
Domain – Eukaryota
Edible parts – Blades (leaves)
Habitat:
This is one of the best seaweeds for eating but unfortunately you’re going to have to get wet to find any. It likes to be permanently submerged which means that diving is the only option to get any real amount. If its left exposed for to long it will quickly die and rot, so obtaining fresh kelp can be difficult.
Identification:
The leaves are normally a murky yellow colour with a hint of brown. The stem will have many round gas bladders which hold it upright when underwater.
Warnings:
There are no poisonous types of seaweed that grow near British coastlines. Gathering would be the biggest danger as going out into the sea is always risky.
Gathering and cooking:
If you don’t have the option to dive then the best time to gather kelp is after a storm, with the rougher the seas the better. Kelp gets dislodged and washed onto the shore, making it easy pickings for any forager.
When you get hold of some it can be eaten raw, though its always a good idea to wash it first. If you’re going to use it in a dish then boil it separately before doing so as it can thicken up the water as it cooks. Use it the same as you would any leaf vegetable but try some before dumping a load into a stew as it can be an acquired taste.
Dulse
Season – All Year Round
Class – Palmaria
Scientific name – Palmaria palmata
Other names – Dillisk, dilsk, sea lettuce, creathnach
Division – Rhodophyta
Edible parts – Blades (leaves)
Habitat:
This one can be found clinging to rocks that are above sea level for a short time while the tides out. Normally found hanging on rocks close to the low tide line and any permanent hard surface on the beach such as rock pools and long stone piers.
Identification:
A deep red in colour, Dulse has long wide leaves that look shiny and almost like wet leather. There are no gas pockets on this one but sometimes the leaves can look as if they are filled with air.
Warnings:
Its colour sets it apart from other seaweeds and in the worst case scenario you somehow mistake it for another edible seaweed. Since there’s no poisonous types of seaweed around the British coast this is one of the safest types of plant you can practise foraging because of you get it wrong at least you wont get hurt.
Gathering and cooking:
Scissors are advised and only take a few choice cuts from each plant so it doesn’t die. It normally grows in large clumps and you wont have to go far to get a good amount of it.
When cooking use it like any leaf vegetable but as with kelp boil this one separately. The water can thicken up to the point of weak wall paper paste with all of the Carrageenan that come leaking out when its heated, so a water change or two may be necessary before adding it to your main dish.
Carragheen
Season – All Year Round
Scientific name – Chondrus crispus
Other names – Irish moss
Order – Gigartinales
Edible parts – Blades (leaves)
Habitat:
Rocks close to the sea that are only exposed for less than half the time the tide is out.
Identification:
Ranging from brown to red in colour, this one has frilly thin leaves that have small gas pockets spread across them. The main stem is very short and doesn’t go for more than a few inches before the leaf shoots start branching out.
Warnings:
Standard coastal gathering rules apply, just keep an eye on the tide and watch out for those slippery wet rocks.
Gathering and cooking:
Scissors are the best thing to use and gathering is pretty straight forward. This is another one that contains huge amounts of Carrageenan and you’ll most likely go through at least two water changes before most of it comes out. Cook the same way as you would any other seaweed by boiling and making sure its soft enough before eating.
Laver
Season – All Year Round
Scientific name – Porphyra umbilicalis
Other names – Laver bread
Family – Bangiaceae
Edible parts – Blades (leaves)
Habitat:
Rocks close to the tidal line. This one is a bit more hardy than most other types of seaweed and can be found growing on lose boulders and large stones sitting on the beach.
Identification:
Dark green with a brown tint, Laver has very thin blades with larger sections towards the end of them. It always droops down the rock its on and doesn’t contain any gas pockets.
Warnings:
Just watch out for those slippery rocks.
Gathering and cooking:
Scissors make for the easiest gathering and give it a good wash before cooking. This one is often made into a Welsh traditional dish called Laver bread which tastes like concentrated salty cabbage. Since its taste is so unique I’d strongly recommend gathering a small amount any trying it first, but it does work well as a flavouring for meat in small amounts.
Gutweed
Season – All Year Round
Scientific name – Ulva intestinalis
Other names – Grass kelp
Phylum – Chlorophyta
Family – Ulvaceae
Edible parts – Blades (leaves)
Habitat:
Any type of rock that’s close to the water. This type is very common and normally grows in huge patches when its found.
Identification:
A medium to light green in colour with hair like blades similar to Laver but thinner.
Warnings:
Just watch out for those slippery rocks.
Gathering and cooking:
As with all types of seaweed, scissors are the best thing to gather it. This one has a lighter taste and become more universal than Laver, but since seaweed has a very distinctive taste its difficult to put it to a single dish. The best advice is to try a small amount first to see what you think it would work best with.
Coastal Fish
The problem with fishing off the coast is the bigger fish generally don’t tend to come near the shoreline, but there are a few exceptions. This list includes fish that are “likely” to be caught from standing on dry land, and doesn’t include all the fish it would be possible to catch.
Flounder
Season – Late spring to early winter
Scientific name – Paralichthys dentatus
Other names – sole, flatfish
Suborder – Pleuronectoidei
Habitat
The flounder is a demersal fish which means it always stays close to the sea floor, so you wont catch one from fishing mid-water in a boat. They like the softer ground such as sand and mud and are much harder to find in stony areas.
They are normally deep water fish but often come into estuaries which is the best place to catch them, especially when the tide is going out as the flounder up the estuary will all try to come back out through an constantly shrinking river.
Identification
A type of flatfish with both eyes on the same side of its head. There are no dangerous types of flatfish around the UK and they are the only type to swim with their bodies horizontally.
Catching and cooking
Spinners work better than standard float and hook fishing as the flounder feeds by hiding in the sand and waiting for prey to swim over head before striking out at lightning speed and swallowing the prey whole.
The best way to catch flounder is when the tide is going out at the mouth of an estuary using a spinner. If the water is too murky or stirred up from rough weather then the flounder will have great trouble seeing the spinner, so if its possible pick a time when the waters are nice and clear.
Flounder has a wonderful flavour and works best fried or lightly battered. Its a good fish to eat with minimal added flavours so you don’t mask the taste.
Eel
Season – Late spring to early winter
Scientific name – Anguilliformes
Class – Actinopterygii
Habitat
Eels like to hide in small places and are much more common around rocks and harbours than they are in open water and estuaries. They feed by hiding in a hole some were and waiting for prey to swim past before chasing after it and returning to their holes again. Piers and any rocky coastline will normally see good results, with the more rocks the better.
Identification
Like a giant sea worm with a deep mouth, the eel is unlike any other fish in the ocean and cant be mistaken for anything else. There are a number of dangerous species like the well known electric eel, but these cant be found around the UK, in fact there are only two types of eel native to UK waters which is the silver eel and the conger eel.
Silver eels are much smaller and have smooth, slippery sides and are a light silver in colour. Conger eels can be brown to almost black and are the largest type of eel in the world, with the average fully grown conger eel around the UK being just over 4 feet in length.
Be very careful when handling conger eels as they are very strong and aren’t afraid to bite in defence.
Catching and cooking
The main thing to keep in mind when fishing conger eels is that they like to live within very rocky areas were your hook can easily get stuck. A hook further up the line from the bottom weight is a good idea but everyone has their own preference when it comes to fishing.
If you catch a silver eels then they are easy to handle, though very slippery. If you catch a large conger eel then make sure you’re very careful when dispatching it as they can be quite dangerous. I can assure you that a 4 feet long strip of muscle hurts when it whips you, and some can go really crazy when you get them out the water. Wait until its been out the water for a while and calmed down a bit before dispatching it, which should be done before you go any were near its mouth.
As for cooking them the skin is very tough and its best to hang it up with some string round its head and slice all the way round before pulling the skin down with a pair of pliers. The meat is different from any other fish and is closer to normal meat than seafood.