Large-Scale Cockle Harvest Underway on Wirral Beach

A harvest exceeding 500 tonnes of cockles is scheduled for a Wirral beach. Teams comprising up to 100 fishers, many utilizing quadbikes, have been active on the Leasowe sands since the cockle beds became accessible earlier this month. Following a four-year period for stock replenishment, the 570-tonne quota is anticipated to be fulfilled within seven days. While regulatory authorities assert that the fishing operation is rigorously supervised and environmentally conscious, critics have characterized the activity as the “plunder” of a natural habitat. Mark Taylor, representing the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA), stated: “The fishermen know that they do have to respect the areas that they’re working in – they are permitted through us and we do reserve the right to take permits from them.” He further mentioned that collaboration was ongoing with Merseyside Police and Wirral Council to “make sure that there is no public nuisance or public order issues”. Mr. Taylor indicated that upon the quota’s fulfillment, “the fishery will close and the fishermen will disband and move to other areas”. He also noted that all individuals involved possessed licenses and permits, which underwent daily verification. The NWIFCA performs yearly assessments of the region’s cockle beds and recently concluded that an adequate quantity of cockles was present to permit the opening of the Leasowe fishery. Shane Evans, a self-employed cockle fisher, affirmed that “sustainable” levels must be established before permission is granted to harvest the cockles, which are frequently exported to Spain due to their popularity as a delicacy there. “We try our best to make sure that we leave the place as we found it and be respectful to the local people when we’re parking.” “There are certain people who come from south Wales and from up north who come down and spend the money on staying away… so that is a small influx of money coming into the area for a short period of time.” Pat Cleary, representing Wirral Council’s Green Party, expressed opposition to what he termed “industrial” levels of activity on the beach. He stated: “These are really important feeding grounds for migratory birds.” “We are talking about internationally threatened species like the oystercatcher and the knot. “The Dee estuary is home to 5% of the global population of oystercatchers. This is a threatened species, and we know that fishing of shellfish directly contributes to the decline of these species.” “So if we are serious about protecting nature, this kind of activity we cannot allow on an industrial scale.” Content from BBC Radio Merseyside is available on Sounds, and updates from BBC Merseyside can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas may also be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. This material is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is also provided.