The following beds will open on the 1st September 2019:
- Newbiggin (Click here to view Map)
- Leven Sands
- Flookburgh
- East side of Pilling (Click here to view Maps)
Bed Closures
Cockle Beds in the Ribble Estuary
All cockle beds will be closed under NWSFC Byelaw 16 following the end of the closed season on 1st September.
Leasowe (Wirral) Cockle Fishery
To remain closed under NWSFC Byelaw 13a – ‘Cockle and Mussels – Management of the Fishery’ until further notice. In order for the NWIFCA to authorise a fishery at Leasowe a Habitats Regulations Assessment must be carried out that shows sufficient stock will remain for protected birds over the winter. There is also a need to show that areas will remain that are undisturbed by fishing activity for the birds. Discussions are on-going with Natural England to agree whether a fishery could be opened without causing a risk to the protected birds and what TAC would need to be set.
The fishery will not open on 1st September but it is hoped that it will be possible to open it for a limited fishery at the earliest opportunity. Please come back to check on NWIFCA website for further updates.
Cockle Beds in Morecambe Bay
The following beds will be closed under NWSFC Byelaw 16 following the end of the closed season on 1st September:
- Middleton
- Aldingham
- Warton Sands
- West side of Pilling
Cockle Beds in Cumbria (North of Haverigg Point)
All cockle beds will be closed under CSFC Byelaw 18 following the end of the closed season on 1st September.
Miscellaneous
You can find the the last Cockle and Mussel Survey Reports submitted to the TSB below:
Cockle and Mussel Survey Report