Undersized mussels taken from sensitive area Ammanford Magistrates fined 2 Llanelli men a total of £225 and additional penalties of £130 for removing undersized mussels from the Burry Inlet contrary to South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaws. Sitting on 27 April, the court heard how Fishery Officers had come upon the pair near Penrhyngwyn where they had a 4x4 vehicle and numerous sacks filled with mussel. An inspection of the sack contents revealed they had not been sorted at all and contained 57% below the minimum size of 45mm. The defendants contended that they were only collecting a sample, although they conceded that at 250kg it was a large one, and that they had previously obtained permission to operate the vehicle in the intertidal zone. The Prosecution explained to the Magistrates that following a period of successful authorised fishing in the Inlet on mussels over previous months it was imperative that as stocks reduced, minimum sizes were observed to ensure mussels for future years. As they grow, mussels are an important source of food for wading birds for which the Burry Inlet has numerous nature conservation designations. Nathan Jenkins, of Halfway, Llanelli was fined £175 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge in his absence. Marcus Morgan who appeared was fined £50 and ordered pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge. A number of rakes, riddles and sacks used in the commission of the offence were ordered forfeit for destruction. |
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