Because most of the jade in the Jade Cove area is present in smaller pods and nodules, not in veins, it is difficult to assess or measure the size of the find. The benthic habitat consists of large rocks and boulders interspersed with gravel patches. Lingcod, cabezon, and rockfish frequent the area. Apparently, it proved a popular site for jade collection almost immediately. The purposes for which jade is collected vary.
Some individuals collect for their own enjoyment and for no intention of profit.
Others, however, collect jade and sell either the raw material or a finished product requiring processing of some kind. Prize specimens of this color are sought by collectors world over. Over the years, examples have been recorded of the seabed being disturbed by manipulation in order to remove jade that was attached in some way to the seabed. Given the isolated nature and low resident population of the area, most people are visitors and are generally engaged in non-intrusive recreational pursuits such as camping, nature observation, photography, or diving.