A Guide to The Cockle Fishing Management and Permitting (Specified Area) (Wales) Order 2024

This guidance explains how the public cockle fisheries (those not under a Regulating Order) will be managed by the Welsh Ministers following the coming into force of The Cockle Fishing Management and Permitting (Specified Area) (Wales) Order 2024 on 10 July 2024. 

• cockles (Cerastoderma edule) – a type of edible shellfish also called a ‘bivalve mollusc’ and can be found in sandy beaches around the world
• cockle bed - an area of sand or fine sediment where a collection of cockles are present
• environmental assessment –   undertaken when a cockle bed is situated within an environmental protected area. The aim of the assessment is to ensure that any decision made when opening a cockle bed does not have a harmful effect on the environment
• harvestable surplus – amount of cockle available for gathering on a cockle bed, allowing for some to be left to grow on for the next year and leaving some for overwintering birds to feed on
• intertidal safety training course - a course that teaches attendees to become familiar with assessing risks, tidal information, position fixing, danger of crossing water and soft areas, commercial boat use legislation and how to request assistance in an emergency
• live weight – weight of live cockles when weighed in woven mesh sacks
• relevant protected site – a designated area where rare or important species live and are protected by law
• single permit period – applications for a permit can be made any time between 1 June and 31 May the following year. Applicants will be expected to pay the full permit fee whatever time of the year they apply. However, applicants will not be able to get a permit for a period of less than one month
• specified area – an area (or public fishery) which has been mentioned in the new Order where cockles are harvested for commercial reasons and is managed by Welsh Government
• vessel – this refers to a vessel used to carry cockles fished for or taken from a cockle bed. (The permit conditions will explain what method of transport can be used to access and remove cockle from specific beds e.g. this may be a boat or a quad bike)
• daily catch limit – In order to conserve stocks, it may be necessary to limit the amount of cockle permitted gatherers may take in a single day. A permit holder will be notified if this happens and how much cockle (in weight) they will be allowed to take each day

All public cockle fisheries managed by the Welsh Government will stay closed until they are officially opened. Each cockle fishery will open once it has been assessed, and it is confirmed there is enough cockle available to be gathered. 

All permit holders are notified of the opening and closures of each fishery via email and a public notice on the GOV.WALES website.

Information on opening and closing of fisheries can be accessed – as follows:

• permit holders may be informed via email, or other means of communication
• an announcement will be published on the GOV.WALES webpage
• a public notice may be displayed close to the cockle fishery or cockle bed giving details of the fishery and a link to the GOV.WALES website where up to date information can be found

At least once a year the Welsh Government will survey each public cockle fishery to assess the abundance of cockle. If there is sufficient cockle, a ‘harvestable surplus’ (the maximum amount that can be taken by gatherers without impacting the health of the stock or the environment) will be calculated. This will ensure sufficient cockle is left as broodstock for future years and to feed overwintering birds.

From the results of the survey, Welsh Government officials can calculate when it is the best time for the fishery to be opened. Conditions will be imposed to ensure any gathering of cockles is done in a safe manner and does not impact the environment.

A permit is required to gather cockles commercially on a public cockle fishery in Wales. A permit can be issued to anyone who has accurately filled out the application form, satisfied all the eligibility criteria and paid the fee. The permit can then be used on any Welsh Government managed public cockle fishery that has been officially opened. Only the permit holder will be able to use the permit. It must not be used by anyone else.

Applicants can apply for a permit if they:

• are aged 16 years or older
• have attended an intertidal safety training course in the last 3 years and have received a certificate from the provider of the course
• have not been convicted of a fishery related offence within the last 12 months. If the applicant is under 18, they should not have been convicted of a fishery related offence within the last 6 months

Since the coming in to force of the 2024 Order, all applications for a permit are made online through the “apply for fisheries permit Wales” webpage which is available at GOV.WALES. Applicants will need to ensure they have all the information ready to accurately complete all parts of the application. Incomplete applications will not be processed and will be automatically deleted from the system after seven days.

Before completing the application, applicants will need to ensure they have the following proof to hand:

• form of identity (driving licence or passport)
• additional document containing name and address e.g. utility bill
• number and/or certificate obtained from an intertidal safety training course.
• national Insurance number or Unique Taxpayer Reference Number (if self-employed)
• if using a boat to carry cockles from the cockle fishery/bed the applicant will need the following proof:
  • vessel (Boat) Master qualification
  • information on the vessel (boat) being used, including the number of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency certificate of coding

Applicants will also need to ensure they have sufficient funds available to pay the fee online at the time of the application. The permit fee is used to cover the cost of managing the public fisheries including any administration and scientific costs. 

When a permit is issued, a set of rules (conditions) will be issued at the same time. These conditions will apply to each cockle fishery or cockle bed that has been officially opened. They will need to be read carefully as not all conditions will be the same, depending on the area the cockle is being gathered. All permit conditions will contain details, coordinates and maps of the area where gathering can take place and the harvestable surplus for that season. Conditions will also state what type of equipment the permit holder will be allowed to use. This may vary depending on the conditions of the fishery and local environment. 

Permit holders will be required to check the website every day to ensure the cockle fishery/cockle bed is open before gathering. 

On some occasions, it may be necessary for Welsh Government to amend the conditions due to a change in circumstances.  Changes to permit conditions may include the following:

• a change in harvestable surplus.
• a daily catch limit (if management has decided this is needed)
• a minimum landing size.
• dates, times or tides during which fishing for and taking cockles is not permitted.
• methods or equipment that may be used when fishing for or taking cockles.
• means of access to the specified area or a cockle bed (for example this could mean by boat or quad bike etc depending on the area and environment surrounding the fishery)

Where possible permit holders and sometimes other stakeholders will be notified of any changes before they take place.

A permit is not required if picking up to 5kg of cockle each day for personal consumption. 

A permit is not required if collecting cockle for scientific purposes.  However, permission will be required from the Welsh Government beforehand providing evidence of the scientific need for collecting the samples of cockle.

If someone is found in breach of the above exceptions the cockles must be put back as quickly and as close as possible to where they have been collected and spread thinly and evenly to ensure their survival.

The ‘Specified Area’ referred to in the 2024 Order is where public cockle fisheries managed by the Welsh Government can be found. The coordinates in Schedule 1 of the 2024 Order refer to the following cockle fisheries:

• Three Rivers fishery (this fishery contains five cockle beds i.e. Llansteffan, Llanybri, St Ishmaels/Tanylan, Ferryside and Gwendraeth)
• Whiteford
• Burry Inlet
• Traeth Lafan
• Traeth Melynog
• Red Wharf Bay

Maps of these areas can be found on the GOV.WALES website at: Specified Area Maps