Visitors to certain beaches could face hefty fines of up to £1,000 for picking pebbles or seashells, warns the local council.
The Cumberland Council has issued a stark warning, reminding holidaymakers that removing these natural materials from the county's beaches is in direct breach of the Coast Protection Act.
Councillor Bob Kelly of Cumberland voiced his understanding of people's desires to collect such items but highlighted the bigger picture. "I understand people's reluctance to follow this guidance, as I have been a collector of shells myself. But taking a pebble or a shell from a beach can in fact damage the environment," he explained.
Emphasising the importance of respecting our beaches as integral ecosystems, Councillor Kelly noted, "Pebbles and other natural matter act as a natural sea defence against coastal erosion, natural flood defences and wildlife habitats, which many experts warn has become even more of an issue due to climate change."
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St. Bees beach, looking towards St. Bees Head on the Cumbrian coast (Getty Images)A mum in the US was slammed with a massive fine after her children gathered a number of clams thinking they were shells.
Charlotte Russ, hailing from Fresno, was supposed to be enjoying a quiet trip to Pismo Beach at the close of last year. However, after collecting what they believed to be 72 seashells, the mother-of-five was hit with the colossal fine on the spot.
It transpired that clamming is subject to certain rules, including the requirement of a license and a limit of 10 clams per day, provided they are at least 4.5-inches in diameter. The Russ family had unknowingly violated both regulations and, after confronting the family, the Department of Fish and Wildlife slapped them with a ticket.
Speaking to ABC7, Charlotte said: "My kids they thought they were collecting seashells, but they were actually collecting clams, 72 to be exact."
The local Cumbrian council has warned visitors (Getty Images/iStockphoto)She later received a fine through the post demanding her to pay specifically $88,993. The staggering sum understandably upset the mum, who added that it spoiled the family outing.
"It made me really sad and depressed, and it kind of ruined our trip," she expressed. However, Lieutenant Matthew Gil from the Department of Fish and Wildlife defended the regulations, stating they exist to safeguard Pismo clams.
He told the same outlet: "The reason we got it we have these regulations is because we have to let them get to four-and-a-half inches so they can spawn, so they can have offspring every year, and they have juvenile clams. If you have a dead sand dollar, a dead animal, or something like that, or you have a broken seashell, that's fine. In Pismo clams, what you're gonna see is both shells will be intact together."
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