Nothing new really. When I was in the upper penninsula last July we had to be carefull about collecting agates on the beaches. Between state and federal lands you really have to be carefull. It’s been that way for years.
Nothing new? You mean you think they have been confiscating peoples cars for years because they pick up a rock? I suppose you are ok with the government being able to seize your property whenever they get the whim. They are passing more and more confiscation laws. The drug laws were a foot in the door and now they want to confiscate everything we own and won't stop until they can do it for a traffic violation.