A total of 23 people died at Morecambe Bay in February 2004

Calvin Scott, 39, of Slackeys Lane, Southport, denied putting his life and others at risk, but was fined �600 with �400 costs by Lancaster magistrates.

Tony Trenear, from the Health and Safety Executive, said: "Mr Scott's prosecution should serve as a warning."

The beds at Morecambe Bay are currently closed to protect stocks.

Mr Scott was sentenced on Monday for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

He was leading a party of four - including two teenagers, one of whom is his son - which was cut off by the rising tide.

It happened only 10 weeks after the Morecambe Bay tragedy in which 23 Chinese cockle-pickers died, in February 2004.

Quicksands and gullies

Mr Trenear, a principal health and safety inspector, said lessons must be learnt by those taking risks in other areas.

He added: "Essentially, cocklers should make forward planning a priority in their activities, looking at things such as tide tables and weather forecasts and taking account of local conditions such as quicksands and shifting gullies.

"They should plan for all contingencies so that they don't put their own lives, or the lives of others, at risk and lead to interventions by the emergency services."