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US woman faces ₹73 lakh fine after kids collect clams mistaking them for seashells
A woman in California was fined $88,000 (approx ₹73 lakh) when her children mistakenly collected 72 clams, believing them to be seashells.
A woman in California, USA, had to face a fine of $88,000 (approx ₹73 lakh) after her children collected 72 clams, which they mistook for seashells. Charlotte Russ and her kids were on a trip to Pismo Beach, where the incident happened. The beach is famously known as the “Clam Capital of the World”.
Russ was in shock when an official from the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife handed her a ticket and informed her that her five children were collecting clams without a license.
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“My kids thought they were collecting seashells, but they were actually collecting clams-72, to be exact. Right before we went, that’s when I opened it, and that’s when I saw the amount. It made me really sad and depressed, and it kind of ruined our trip.,” Russ told ABC30.
According to a report by The Independent, the woman was able to get her fine reduced to $500 (approx ₹41,000) after explaining her mistake to a San Luis Obispo County judge.
The regulations are in place to protect the shellfish species.
“The reason we have these regulations is to allow the shellfish to reach four-and-a-half inches so they can spawn and produce offspring each year, including juvenile clams,” the outlet quoted Lt Matthew Gill of the Department of Fish and Wildlife as saying.
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Lt Gil also stressed the need to educate oneself and children before going to the shore.
“If you find a dead sand dollar, a dead animal, or a broken seashell, it is acceptable to collect it. However, with Pismo clams, you will see both shells intact together. If the shells do not come apart easily, it is a living clam,” he added.
