Due to some shifting of sands and cockle on the Leven Sands cockle bed the area has been slightly amended to include a small extension to the south-east of the bed. Please refer to the map in the authorisation in relation to point B. All other conditions within the authorisation remain unchanged. Download the authorisation. NWSFC BYELAW 13A AUTHORISATION TO REMOVE COCKLES FROM LEVEN SANDS BED, MORECAMBE BAY 2016 Issue Date:   16th December 2016 Expiry Date:   30th April 2017    All Byelaw 3 permit holders are hereby authorised to remove size cockles, between and inclusive of the dates specified, from the Leven Sands bed defined at paragraphs 2 and 3 in accordance with this authorisation, and are responsible for complying with the conditions given below at paragraph 1. 1. Conditions of Authorisation to Remove Size Cockle This authorisation is issued subject to the following conditions. a) Removal of size cockles is permitted only during the period 16th December 2016 to 30th April 2017 inclusive. b) That size cockle is only gathered from the Leven Sands cockle bed as defined by the authorised box in paragraph 2. c) Access to and access from the fishery will be via the…

An area of Heysham Flat has been closed under Byelaw 13a to protect the Honeycomb worm (Sabellaria alveolata) reef. For more information see the closure details below. Heysham Flat Mussel Fishery Part Bed Closure Under Byelaw 13A, no person shall remove, take or disturb any mussel within the part of the mussel bed shown in the map below and bound by the co-ordinates given, at Heysham Flat, Morecambe Bay, with effect from 00:01 of Tuesday 13th December 2016, until midnight of 30th June 2017. These positions are referred to the WGS(84) datum (degrees and decimal minutes). For further information, contact the Authority’s Carnforth Office. Notes The closure is necessary to protect the Sabellaria alveolata (honeycomb worm) reef feature of the European Marine Site. The closure applies to all people fishing for mussels, whether for pleasure or profit, and whatever the fishing method. Download the Closure Notice

John Ward Agency (Fleetwood) Limited has been fined £2,365 following a guilty plea for fisheries offences at Blackpool Magistrates Court. The Marine Management Organisation began investigations after receiving information on 18 September 2016. The MMO discovered that John Ward Agency (Fleetwood) had failed to submit 100 sales notes relating to sales of fish from various under 10 metre vessels. On 24 November 2015, a joint inspection by MMO Marine Enforcement Officers and North West Inshore Fisheries Conservation Officers found the merchant had offered 47 undersized plaice for sale. The court ordered that John Ward Agency (Fleetwood) Limited pay a £1,200 fine (reduced from £1,800 due to an early guilty plea), £1,045 in investigation costs and a £120 Victim Surcharge. A spokesman for the MMO said: “Whilst the court recognised that the non-submission of sales notes was a genuine error by John Ward Agency (Fleetwood) Limited and a product of a bad administrative process, the number of sales notes and the quantities of fish therein was significant. The court acknowledged it was vital that the MMO had a clear and accurate picture of the quantities of sea fish being landed and sold. Hopefully this case emphasises the importance of accurate record keeping…

Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have started formal consultations on the Solway Firth potential Special Protection Area (pSPA). The consultation will run until midnight on 17th January 2017. Further information is available on the SNH website here.

Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) have started formal consultations on the proposed changes to Liverpool Bay / Bae Lerpwl potential Special Protection Area (pSPA). The consultation period ends at 17:00 on 8th February 2017. More information is available on the consultation page here.

The science team has created a leaflet about the current fisheries in Morecambe Bay. The leaflet contains information on the fishery and the biology of the Common Cockle. Click here to download.

The National Grid is seeking your views on the proposed North West Coast Connections Project. The project will connect and export the electricity that will be generated by the proposed Moorside Nuclear Power Station. Formal consultations on this project are running for ten weeks from 28th October 2016 to 6th January 2017 with 30 consultation events being held up and down the route. Further information about the North West Coastal Connections Project and the consultation process can be found at www.northwestcoastconnections.com.

MMO Call for Issues with Supporting Evidence The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have launched a Call for Issues with Supporting Evidence for the North West marine plan area which includes the Solway.  Identifying and understanding the opportunities and challenges for the marine plan areas is critical to developing meaningful and tailored marine plans. Local, specialist and industry knowledge is at the heart of this, and your contribution is essential. As part of the call a number of workshops are being held across the North West in July.  There are still some spaces available at your local workshop in Kendal on Tuesday 12 July. For more information on the workshops and the Call for Issues click here For more information or advice on issues and evidence, please email [email protected]