TWO fishermen have been ordered to pay costs of more than £6,400 after breaching fishing byelaws.

Andrew Skinner and Reginald Skinner appeared in court having taken a quantity of undersized cockles from Poole Harbour.

Andrew, 32, was caught almost 400kg of shellfish.

However, around a third of the cockles were deemed small enough to breach marine regulations, according to the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA).

Southern IFCA said Andrew was stopped by officers at Fisherman’s Dock in Poole Quay in June.

He had seven bags of cockles and seven bags of manila clams which he caught in Poole Harbour.

The clams were described as “mainly compliant” with the minimum conservation reference size of 35m.

However, samples removed for measuring revealed around a third of the cockles were undersized, according to Southern IFCA.

Bournemouth Echo: The Lula Bon PE892 boat owned by Andrew Skinner and Reginald Skinner The Lula Bon PE892 boat owned by Andrew Skinner and Reginald Skinner (Image: Southern IFCA)

Able to pass through a gauge measuring 23.8mm each side, the cockles were deemed to breach the fishing for cockles byelaw of the Southern IFCA and the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

The authority said that the fishing boat Andrew was using - Lula Bon PE892 - was jointly owned with Reginald Skinner, 61, making both of them liable for the breach.

Andrew and Reginald, both of Middlebere Crescent in Poole, appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 29.

They both pleaded guilty to taking a quantity of undersized cockles from Poole Harbour.

Each was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,548 and a victim surcharge of £480.

In total, Andrew and Reginald were ordered to pay £6456 between them in costs.

The Southern IFCA is one of the ten IFCAs which manage the marine inshore environment around the coast of England.

Sam Dell, chief officer at Southern IFCA, said: “This case sends a clear message that failing to comply with the Authority’s regulations will not be tolerated.

The Southern IFCA is committed to the protection of our fish stocks and coastal fisheries, ensuring healthy seas and a viable industry.

"By taking offenders to court we aim to support a sustainable local fishery.”