Scores of Cocklers on Southport beach in Marshside

Scores of Cocklers have arrived in Southport recently as the Cockle beds have been opened by the Fisheries Agency. The Cocklers are using the old Rainford Sand Plant Road to access the Cockle beds.

There are currently 137 permit holders, who could prosecute the bed. It is expected that there would initially
be 20-60 permit holders fishing. Once the fishery has opened and the initial volume of cockle has been
removed, the number of gatherers will likely reduce significantly.

The majority of the bed is within a commercial area where the ability to remove 5kg of cockle has been removed for personal consumption.

The small area that is outside of the commercial area is where the cockle are at a low density and undersize. No other person is allowed to take or remove cockle.

Access to and from the fishery will be via ATV / quad bikes from Haul road, Marshside in Southport. Access
by boat is not authorised. All other access routes from Fylde and Sefton coast will be closed to cockle fishers.
Permit holders are expected to access Haul road approximately 3 hours before low water and will progress
on to the fishery 2 hours before. All permit holders using ATVs are required to have permits issued from
Sefton council.

Permit holders will only be allowed to fish for cockles by hand or rake in the manner detailed in section 4.1.
Due to the high presence of undersize cockle on the beds, the requirement for riddling catch will be specified
in the Flexible Permit conditions. In addition, officers will conduct regular ATV patrols to ensure compliance.
Bagged cockles will then be transported off the bed on ATV trailers and loaded onto transport at Haul road.

A checkpoint system will be operated by IFCOs from Haul road. All vehicles must be parked on haul road,
and cockles loaded onto transport on Haul Road.

Flexible permit conditions will also specify set tides and days of the week permit holders can prosecute the
fishery. This year, fishing will be limited to week days only, and to one tide a day.

These conditions have been applied to previous fisheries in the Ribble Estuary.

Full regulations here