Police were called after an honorary fishery officer was attacked while patrolling Cockle Bay yesterday.
The officer was checking that gatherers were keeping to their daily legal entitlement at the beach in the Eastern suburbs when he was assaulted by a person collecting cockles.
The daily legal entitlement for cockles is 50 per gatherer per day.
"It appears that one of our honorary fishery officers who was on a regular patrol at Cockle Bay yesterday, allegedly had mud thrown in his face by a person collecting cockles," a Ministry of Primary Industries spokeswoman said.
"He then called two other fulltime fishery officers who then attended the scene. Police were also called and attended the scene."