A California mom found herself in a pricey situation after her kids accidentally collected 72 clams instead of seashells.
PEOPLE reports that the mom was fined $88,000 for his children’s seemingly innocent mistake.
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How Mom Ended Up With The Mega Fine
Charlotte Russ could’ve never imagined her November 2023 trip to the beach would end with her owing tens of thousands of dollars.
She told KFSN-TV, “My kids, they thought they were collecting seashells, but they were actually collecting clams, 72 to be exact.”
The mom was given a two-count citation for fishing without a license and collecting Pismo clams. She was in disbelief that the fine totaled over $88,000. Charlotte shared that the incident brought down her spirits.
She told the outlet that she became “really sad and depressed, and it kind of ruined our trip.”
It turns out that she wasn’t the only one. 57 other fines were issued to individuals in the area for the same reason.
However, the mom didn’t know she would have a lenient judge in court. The legal official significantly reduced the amount when she appeared in a San Luis Obispo courtroom in April. Russ was only required to pay $500. Furthermore, the fine could be paid off via community service.
Charlotte and her children got an expensive lesson! She has since instructed her children not to touch anything at the beach. Additionally, she said, “They now know what a clam is compared to what a seashell is…” She made it a point “to explain it to them.”
Why Clams Are Off Limits
Beaches have rules to protect wildlife. The clams that Charlotte’s children collected had not spawned (released an egg). Lt. Mathew Gil explained the importance of the set rules.
“We have to let [the clams] get to four-and-a-half inches so they can spawn, so they can have offspring every year, and they have juvenile clams,” he stated.
Additionally, he clarified that it’s okay to collect “a dead sand dollar, a dead animal, or a broken seashell” but not clams. “Pismo clams…what you’re going to see is both shells will be intact together,” Lt. Gil said. So, they’re perfectly healthy and should be left alone.
Although the family’s day at the beach was “ruined”, they can laugh about it now. The mom says “the trip to Pismo” was an “unforgettable” one.
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