Restaurateurs fined for illegal shellfish

Two restaurateurs are among dozens of people fined for illegal shellfish collection in NSW.

A restaurant owner from Marrickville in Sydney was allegedly offered 80kg of live cockles for sale without required documentation.

Another from Quirindi, south of Tamworth, was caught allegedly selling several hundred illegally harvested shellfish.

Authorities claim more than 30 people committed fisheries offences, including one man found with 17 speared moray eels in waters closed to spearfishing at North Harbour in Sydney.

DPI Fisheries on Wednesday said alleged offenders face fines of up to $500.