The bar pilot against whom the charges have been filed, upon depositing with the secretary of the commission an amount sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of serving the subpoenas, together with the mileage of the witnesses and an amount sufficient to cover at least three days’ attendance of the witnesses, may require the secretary of the commission to issue subpoenas for witnesses in his or her behalf in the name of the commission, the subpoenas to be issued and served as in the case of subpoenas issued by the direction of the commission, and for failure of witnesses to attend upon being served with the subpoenas, the witness shall forfeit the sum of fifty dollars ($50), which the commission may collect by a civil action in its own name in a court of competent jurisdiction.