Edible Seashore of the Pacific Northwest

This guide covers edible shellfish, seaweed, and other seafood that can be found on the shores of the Pacific Northwest: British Columbia, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

1. clam
2. giant barnacle
3. goose barnacle
4. limpet
5. oyster
6. sea cucumber
7. sea urchin
8. shore crab

All seaweed is edible, though some are more nutritional and palatable than others, and some can cause stomach upset. Brown seaweeds such as bull kelp, giant kelp, and alaria fistulosa consist of carbohydrates that cannot be digested. These seaweeds still have value as seasoning agents, food wrapping, and a source of fibre and vitamins.

Warning: although all seaweed is edible, the blue-green algae found in freshwater lakes and streams is poisonous. Seaweeds can concentrate undesirable metals (lead, cadmium, copper). Avoid seaweeds from heavily populated centers, industrial areas, or seaweed washed/found on the shoreline that may be rotting.

1. bull kelp
2. giant kelp
3. alaria
4. eel grass
5. purple laver
6. sea lettuce