Edmonds, WA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No taking/injuring birds on public beaches without permit
- Sanctuary rule
- No permitting option in Brackett's Landing
- Permit issuer
- Parks and recreation director
- Max penalty
- $1,000 misdemeanor fine
Summary
Edmonds bars anyone from taking, possessing, injuring or destroying any bird on a public city beach without first obtaining a permit from the parks and recreation director, under ECC 5.32.105(A)(1). The rule applies chapter-wide to marine and intertidal life and gets a heightened, unpermitted ban inside the Brackett's Landing Shoreline Sanctuary.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly engage in any of the following activities on any public beach in the city of Edmonds without first obtaining a permit from the Edmonds parks and recreation director or designee: 1. To take, possess, injure, or destroy any bird, mollusk, crustacean, marine or intertidal algae or plant, or any other marine or intertidal organism of any kind whatsoever.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
32's marine-life protection provisions and requires a permit before anyone "knowingly" takes, possesses, injures or destroys "any bird, mollusk, crustacean, marine or intertidal algae or plant, or any other marine or intertidal organism of any kind whatsoever" on a public Edmonds beach. Subsection (A)(2) separately bans possessing devices meant to take birds or marine life, shovels, clam "guns," buckets, hooks, spears, or nets, again without a permit. The parks and recreation director may issue permits under subsection (B) where collection "will not materially jeopardize the continued viability of marine life," but subsection (C) removes that permitting option entirely for the Brackett's Landing Shoreline Sanctuary, the marine reserve between the inner harbor line and the ferry dock.
120 issued only for scientific research, education, or an emergency threatening public health or marine life. 105(A)(1), citywide across all public beaches, tightened further within the sanctuary.
Violations & Fines
Taking, possessing, injuring or destroying a bird on an Edmonds public beach without a parks director permit is a Chapter 5.32 misdemeanor under ECC 5.32.140, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000. Committing the same act within the Brackett's Landing Shoreline Sanctuary can also be charged as a public nuisance under ECC 5.32.130, exposing the violator to injunctive relief and civil damages in addition to the criminal penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I catch or handle a bird on an Edmonds beach?
Is the rule stricter at Brackett's Landing Shoreline Sanctuary?
What is the penalty for taking a bird from an Edmonds beach without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
Compare Edmonds to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle bird protection.