Man was found with half a tonne of clams

By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jan 2016, 06:01 BST
Half a tonne of clams seized from Christopher Skinner by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority officers at the Camber in Old PortsmouthHalf a tonne of clams seized from Christopher Skinner by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority officers at the Camber in Old Portsmouth
Half a tonne of clams seized from Christopher Skinner by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority officers at the Camber in Old Portsmouth
A MAN has been ordered to pay £365 after being found with half a tonne of clams.

Christopher Skinner was stopped by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority officers after they saw him arrive at Viviers at the Camber, in Old Portsmouth.

The 25-year-old unloaded the clams, pictured, on August 16 last year, and drove off when officers approached him. He later returned and threatened to drive a van through an IFCA vehicle.

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When officers interviewed him he denied any knowledge of the clams – of which 95 per cent were under the minimum allowed size of 35mm.

Officers believed they had been removed from Poole Harbour, a marine protected area.

At Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court Skinner, of Hamworthy, Poole was found guilty of transporting under-sized manila clams contrary to minimum size regulations, failing to comply with a reasonable direction and obstructing fisheries officers. He was given a two-year conditional discharge.