A family vacation that was supposed to be a good time has turned into one the family would rather forget. A California woman has been mandated to pay a fine after her children were caught breaking the law.
Charlotte Russ and her family are residents of Fresno, California. On Saturday, November 25, 2023, Russ decided to take her family to the beach for a good time. The beach the family chose was Pismo Beach, popularly known as the Clam capital of the world. However, the trip took a rather expensive turn.
While she settling down, her kids decided to use the opportunity to play around. They started gathering what they thought to be sea shells. However, what they had gathered was infant clams, not shells. They ended up gathering a total of 72 clams.
As the family soon discovered, clam hunting is very regulated in the state. According to regulations, one must possess a license before they can legally hunt for it. The regulations also state that the clams must reach a certain length before they can be harvested.
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After the security officers on duty saw the action, he wrote a citation, which he gave to Russ. Russ had paid no attention to the citation, as she felt it was not a serious offense, until she got a notice. The notice that highlighted the offense also included the fine she was to pay, a whopping $89,000.
Russ described her feelings at the time she got the fine as sad, worried and depressed. She described the whole incident as an honest misunderstanding and mistake. She claimed not to have any prior knowledge about the regulations.
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However, Matthew Gil, a lieutenant of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, did not share that sentiment. According to Gil, rules were made for a reason. He said the reason for the regulations was because of the clams. He said that clams must be four and a half inches in length before they can be hunted.
This is done to ensure the clams mature and reproduce. It was a way to ensure the continuous existence of the species. Gil then went on to stress the importance of keeping up with rules and regulations involving wildlife. He also stressed the importance of being able to distinguish the creatures from one another.
Gil said clam’s shells are difficult to open. Additionally, he said that clamshells are always intact and closed. Finally, he said if you pick anything on Pismo Beach that is not a clam, there is no problem.
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However, I don’t think anyone will be picking anything up from the beach in the foreseeable future. Russ said her kids have learned their lesson not to touch anything on the beach. She also said that they know the difference between sea shells and clams, as she has taught them about it.
Russ was able to bring her case before a San Luis Obispo County judge. The judge presided over the hearing, where he subsequently lowered her penalties to $500. In 2023, San Luis Obispo County issued 58 citations in relation to illegal clam hunting.
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