Fareham fisherman fined £3,400 for illegal clam dredging
His fine was increased after he refused to pay
A Fareham fisherman has been ordered to pay £3,400 after pleading guilty to illegally dredging for clams in a protected area of the Solent.
Brett Johnsey, 36, admitted using prohibited bottom-towed fishing gear in a restricted zone between Calshot Spit and Fawley Oil Refinery, in breach of Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) regulations.
Southern IFCA officers caught his vessel, B Ready MT2, dredging inside the exclusion zone on 31 January 2026. During nearly four hours of surveillance, officers recorded the vessel repeatedly towing a metal dredge along the seabed.
When officers intercepted the vessel on the River Hamble, Johnsey had 237kg of clams on board. He admitted catching the shellfish both inside and outside the prohibited area.
Johnsey was initially offered a £1,000 administrative penalty but failed to pay, prompting court proceedings.
At Bournemouth Combined Court on 21 October, magistrates imposed a £1,000 fine, £2,000 in investigation and legal costs, and a £400 victim surcharge.
The restrictions protect sensitive marine habitats within the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation and the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area. Licensed clam dredging remains permitted outside the restricted zone.
Gordon Chittenden, Southern IFCA’s Head of Compliance and Enforcement, said the authority would continue to support fishers in understanding the rules while taking “robust action” against those who break them.
He added that failing to pay administrative penalties within 28 days can lead to court action and additional costs.