Hand gathered seed mussel fisheries at Heysham Flat and Seafield Road, Lytham are open to Byelaw 3 permit holders. Please see the flexible conditions below for full details of each fishery. Heysham Flat Seed Mussel Fishery 2022 Fishing is permitted between 9th September and 31st December 2022. Access to the fishery is from the Battery Car Park. Permits must be obtained from Lancaster City Council Public Realm Department prior to accessing the fishery. Byelaw 3 Permit holders may remove undersized mussels from Heysham Flat, in the permitted fishing and transiting area. The permitted fishing and transiting area is the area enclosed by a straight line connecting points A, B, C, D, in order, and returning to point A along the line of the Highest Astronomic Tide and illustrated in the map at Annex A.   Point Latitude (decimal degrees) Longitude (decimal degrees) Latitude (degrees, decimal minutes) Longitude (degrees, decimal minutes) A 54.06649 -2.88942 54° 3.989” N 2° 53.365” W B 54.05868 -2.89268 54° 3.520” N 2° 53.560” W C 54.05608 -2.91151 54° 3.364” N 2° 54.690” W D 54.05835 -2.91170 54° 3.500” N 2° 54.702” W The fishery is within a Marine Protected Area, as certain conditions have to be…

Hand Gathered Seed Fisheries Heysham Flat Mussel Bed The mussel bed was inspected on the 12th of August. The area on the higher shore to conger rock consisted of mussel 20-25mm with some up to 35mm mixed in at approximately 80-90% coverage. The mussel was predominantly loose with some hard in and scoured areas present. In comparison, the area from conger rock to Dallam dyke has larger mussel present from 35-45mm, with areas further down the skear being very mixed. Sabellaria was also present. For full details see the inspection report here: View Heysham Flat Inspection Report (pdf) This year, the area indicated in figure 1 below is proposed as a hand gathered seed fishery subject to HRA. Figure 1. The area on Heysham Flat proposed for seed mussel hand gathering. When and How Can I Fish? Dependent on the outcome of HRA consultation (pending 9th September), NWIFCA will put out a notice to fishers, informing them of an update to the flexible permit conditions that facilitate hand gathering at Heysham.   Seed Dredge Fisheries South America Mussel Bed The mussel bed was inspected on the 13th of August and identified the bed was significantly smaller in extent than previous…

At the Technical, Science and Byelaw meeting held on the 2nd of August 2022, it was resolved that the cockle fisheries in Morecambe Bay remain closed from the 1st of September 2022 under paragraph 15 of Byelaw 3.  The decision was based on NWIFCA survey data, which indicated there has been a further decline in both the total biomass of cockle, and density of cockle across the Bay. For further information regarding this decision, the report on this years Morecambe Bay cockle surveys (Agenda Item 10a),  can be found on our website here: August 2nd Technical Science and Byelaw meeting 

Retained REGULATION (EU) 2019/627 of 15 March 2019 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Retained Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls. Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 S.I. 2013 No 2996 Pursuant to the power conferred on it by Article 18(6) and Article(8)(b) of Retained Regulation 2017/625, and Article 62 of Retained Regulation 2019/627, being satisfied that the results of sampling show that the health standards for molluscs are exceeded As Competent Authority for the purposes of the above EC provision by virtue of regulation 4 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 S.I. 2013 No 2996: Barrow Borough Council has temporarily closed the production areas identified in the Schedule to this notice for the production and harvesting of mussels by Food Business Operators until further notice. Signed: Dated this 22nd day of June 2022 Sarah Mason Environmental Health Officer On behalf of Barrow Borough Council SCHEDULE Areas in which the production of mussels by food business operators is prohibited by reason of this…

To reduce the risk of bird entanglement in fishing nets the NWIFCA recommends that the following Code of Practice should be followed: No netting of any type in the area highlighted in the map below during the period 14th March to 25th July** If you do accidentally catch a bird in your net outside of the area or in any non-netting gear within the area ensure that you contact the NWIFCA by email at [email protected] or by phone on 01524 727970 (option 3) with details of the capture including location, number of birds and species The sea around St. Bees Head is important for many species of birds which nest on the cliffs and feed on fish in the area. Some of the birds are susceptible to becoming accidentally entrapped by nets and disturbed by vessel movement. At particular times of year (around the breeding season) these birds are at especially high risk. Nobody wants to see birds caught in fishing gear, including those fishing the gear. Apart from the obvious damage to those individual birds, it can cause distress to the public and lead to a damaging perception of fishing. Note: St Bees Head is part of the Cumbria…

An inspection was carried out on 24th August 2021. The condition of the mussel and the substrate it is on has changed which is expected due to the weather, time of year and that the mussel has been fished. The mussel has reduced in density and the layer of sediment protecting the underlying substrate has thinned with areas of exposed stony sediment. The substrate present is sand and there is very little mud present. The mussel present is hard in and currently stable. Due to the fishery no longer being HRA compliant the fishery is closed with immediate effect. The AUTHORISATION TO FISH UNDERSIZED MUSSEL FROM SOUTH AMERICA 2021 has been revoked. All NWIFCA Dredge Permit holders will be notified that the flexible permit conditions allowing dredging at South America has been revoked.  The bed will continued to be monitored and should the situation change further updates will be provided. For further information please contact the office.

Further to the update provided on 23 July (https://www.nw-ifca.gov.uk/news/pilling-and-newbiggin-cockle-fisheries-update/) NWIFCA will not have received formal advice from Natural England on the HRA completed by NWIFCA on the potential cockle fisheries at Newbiggin and Pilling by the 1st September 2021. As such the beds will be closed under NWSFC Byelaw 13A along with the other beds within Morecambe Bay. Once NWIFCA has received formal advice, NWIFCA will provide a further update if a fishery would be HRA compliant and any potential opening date.

In addition to South America, Perch Scar will be opening to dredge fishing for seed mussel on Monday 16th August. To fish this fishery you must hold a Dredge Permit issued under the Restrictions on Use of a Dredge, application forms for the permit are available below. Existing permit holders will be issued with the flexible permit conditions for the fishery in advance. Dredge Permit Application 2021 Seed Mussel Supplementary Form 2021

Perch and Black Scar The mussel was inspected on 26th July and is currently not in a condition suitable for dredging, NWIFCA will carry out further inspection in two weeks’ time to assess the condition. Heysham Flat The mussel was inspected on 23rd July has already started to scour and is very loose across a large percentage of the bed. The hand gathered seed fishery will open as soon as permits and access has been agreed with the council. Falklands The mussel was inspected on 25th July, from the area inspected there has been a decrease in stock with areas of exposed hard substrate and Sabellaria alveolata consistent across the bed. Due to the fishery not being HRA compliant the fishery will remain closed and NWIFCA will carry out further inspections to monitor the situation. South America The mussel was inspected on 26th July, the mussel is very loose and on a mixture of sand, sandy mud and mud. The fishery has undergone a HRA with formal advice from Natural England agreeing with officer assessment of potential impacts. As of 30th July South America is open by authorisation to Byelaw 3 permit holders and by a permitted dredge fishery. View…

In June 2021, NWIFCA officers advised that cockle fisheries in Morecambe Bay should not be opened in 2021. This was in response to concerns of stocks within Morecambe Bay being at their lowest for 5 years and most importantly very sparse juvenile stock in all areas. The fisheries were discussed at a meeting of the NWIFCA Technical Science and Byelaws (TSB) Committee on 30 June. TSB resolved to permit cockle fisheries on cockle beds at Pilling and Newbiggin sands subject to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). Since the TSB on 30 June an HRA assessing the potential impacts of a cockle fishery at Pilling and Newbiggin has been drafted and has been submitted to Natural England for consideration and for formal advice. As this is the first year of reduced cockles stock in Morecambe Bay since cockle fisheries reopened in 2016, and due to the adult and juvenile stock composition, the HRA has been escalated to a national team within Natural England for further discussion. Therefore, no decision on the opening of the Pilling or Newbiggin cockle beds can take place before the 18th August 2021. Once NWIFCA has received formal advice from Natural England, NWIFCA will provide further updates as…

The data from the recent cockle surveys within Morecambe Bay has now been collated and an interim report has been circulated to the members of the Technical, Science and Byelaws Committee. A copy of the report can be found below: Cockle Survey Report June 2021

On 18th March 2021 at Liverpool Magistrates, Jones Trawlers Ltd and Mr Liam Jones were fined a combined total of £48,500 for dredging without relevant authority in the Liverpool Bay area following an earlier guilty plea.  In February and March 2019, the scallop dredger “Kingfisher” towed scalloping gear into the NWIFCA District and the Liverpool Bay Special Protection Area, before landing catches to North Wales. Following an investigation, both defendants were charged on four counts of dredging without a permit. The sea bed habitats within the Liverpool Bay Special Protection Area are home to numerous ecologically important benthic species such as molluscs, sponges and star fish which support the designated bird species within the area. Protected birds include the Red-throated diver which is likely to have been present in the area feeding before migrating back to Arctic breeding grounds. To date dredging has not been permitted in the area and it is estimated that the seabed could take up to two years to recover from the offences.  District Judge Shaw during sentencing stated “Given the specialist nature of their business its scale and experience together with the previous convictions which have been referred to and the fact that whilst this…