Newcastle University is conducting a study to gather stakeholder opinions on the Highly Protected Marine Area that has been proposed for Allonby Bay. HPMAs by their design prohibit all extractive, depositional and damaging activities – this will include commercial and recreational fishing. Over the summer, DEFRA led a public consultation, which included a 2-day stakeholder workshop in Maryport in early September. The online consultation is now closed, however, details about HPMAs and the proposal for Allonby Bay are still available on the DEFRA website Consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) – Defra – Citizen Space. This study is to follow up in more detail, stakeholder views that were raised at the DEFRA public stakeholder meeting. Newcastle University researchers will be based in the Harbourside Café, South Quay, Maryport CA158AB on Thursday 20th October and Friday 21st October (11-5pm on both days). They would like anyone who is likely to be affected by the proposed HPMA at Allonby Bay to come and talk to them. They will document your views and integrate them into a report, which will be submitted to DEFRA in November 2022 to further inform the selection process for HPMAs. If you cannot attend this drop in…

Following receipt of the Habitats Regulation Assessment from Natural England and approval from the NWIFCA TSB committee the Penfold Cockle Fishery will open on Monday 24th of October 2022. The date of opening is subject to the completion of environmental classification by the proposed opening day. If it is not in place the opening of the fishery will be delayed. Flexible Permit Conditions & Code of Conduct A draft copy of the flexible permit conditions is available below. The opening time and date stated in the draft flexible is subject to the completion of the environmental classification. If the classification is not in place the opening of the fishery will be delayed. A final copy of the flexible permit conditions will be published when the environmental classification is complete. Penfold Cockle Fishery Byelaw 3 Flexible Permit Conditions 2022 (pdf) Gatherers are advised to follow the Code of Conduct for Intertidal Shellfisheries. Vehicle Access Permits Byelaw 3 permit holders must obtain access permits from Sefton Council. Apply Online If you wish to apply online you can do so by contacting [email protected]. You will need to provide the following documents to Sefton Council: Fully completed contact form Signed Terms and Conditions Vehicle…

Cost for use of Sefton Council Site & Provided Facilities Buyers must contact Gordon White ([email protected]) at Sefton Council regarding payment towards the costs of facilities provided. Buyers will be invoiced by Sefton Council for a share of the costs and will have 28 days to pay. All payment methods taken by Sefton Council will be shown on the invoice. Vehicles Provided by Buyers Buyers who provide vehicles such as quad bikes for fishers to access the beds must supply Sefton Council with the company’s insurance details that cover those vehicles for permit purposes. Removal of Support Worker Permits With the confirmation of the revised version of Byelaw 3, we no longer issue Support Worker Permits. People who do not hold a valid Byelaw 3 permit will not be permitted to access the fishery. Tonning up and all other ancillary activities must be carried out in the areas provided by Sefton Council.

If Byelaw 3 permit holders wish to inspect or prospect any closed cockle beds in the NWIFCA District they must inform the Carnforth office at least 2 working days before taking the sample. You can contact the office by using the form below or by the contact details at the bottom of this page. Samples may only be taken with written authority and are limited to 1kg for analysis of meat content. The sample must be stored in an appropriately sized container or bag. No equipment for retaining larger quantities of cockles such as net bags and ‘onion sacks’ may be taken on to the fishery. Please Note: You must contact the relevant local authority for a Beach Access Permit to allow the use of Quad Bikes etc.

Dredge seed mussel fisheries at South America and Perch Scar . Please see the flexible conditions below for full details of each fishery. Dredge Permits To dredge for seed mussel you must hold a permit issued under The Restrictions on the use of a Dredge Byelaw 2017. To apply please complete both the Dredge Permit Application Form and Seed Mussel Supplementary Form available below: Download Dredge Permit Application Form 2022 (Microsoft Word docx file) Download Seed Mussel Supplementary Form 2022 (Microsoft Word docx file) South America Seed Mussel Dredge Fishery Fishing is permitted between 15th September and 7th October 2022. The permitted dredge mussel fishing area is the area enclosed by a straight line connecting points A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I in order, and returning to point A, and illustrated in the map at Annex A. Point Latitude (decimal degrees) Longitude (decimal degrees) Latitude (degrees, decimal minutes) Longitude (degrees, decimal minutes) A 54.054287 -3.105214 54° 3.257” N 3° 6.312” W B 54.053953 -3.105913 54° 3.237” N 3° 6.354” W C 54.054090 -3.107429 54° 3.245” N 2° 6.445” W D 54.053653 -3.107791 54° 3.219” N 2° 6.467” W E 54.052866 -3.107694 54° 3.171” N 2° 6.461” W…

It is with deep sadness that the Authority joins the nation in mourning the loss of our Sovereign HM Queen Elizabeth. Our thoughts, prayers and sincerest condolences are with the Royal Family. We thank you Ma’am for your unrivalled dedication and service, to our Nation, the Realms and the Commonwealth our “strength and stay” for 70 years. May you now rest in peace. God Save The King    

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…

Defra are hosting a two part meeting to discuss the proposed highly protected marine area (HPMA) at Allonby Bay. The session will be spread over two days. An evening session on the 6th of September between 17:30 and 19:30, with provide an open forum opportunity for interested parties and a presentation on the planned site. A daytime drop-in session will take place from 09:00 to 17:30 on the 7th of September to give people the opportunity to express their views. We encourage anyone with an interest in this site to come to the open sessions and put forward their views. The venue is: The Maryport Settlement, Castle Hill, High Street, Maryport, CA15 6BQ

On the 16th of November at 10am to 6pm, Blue Marine Foundation will be hosting the online Crab and Lobster Symposium. The meeting will be held via Zoom webinar. If you are interested in attending the event online, please register here: Crab & Lobster Online Symposium Tickets, Wed 16 Nov 2022 at 10:00 | Eventbrite This free online event is open to all and aims to share current knowledge and support ongoing work to safeguard the long-term health of UK crab and lobster populations and sustainable fisheries. You will hear from representatives from the Crab and Lobster Management Group, national government departments, fisheries regulators, researchers and fishermen on our current knowledge of crab and lobster stocks, fishery status, current management measures and future management options. Blue Marine Foundation are particularly keen to hear views from fishermen and will have a dedicated open forum session. This event is the third in a series of Symposia organised by Blue Marine on non-quota fisheries, following the Cuttlefish Symposium held in November 2021 and the Whelk Symposium in June 2022.

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 

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will publish a new Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for sea bass in 2023. DEFRA and Policy Lab are working together to co-create the new plan with a diverse range of individuals and interest groups in this space, and we are inviting you to get involved! Please see link for further details PL171 Bass FMP Pop Up Research Flyer Barrow