Fishery hopes for Dee estuary

May 28 2008 by Sue McCann, Hoylake and West Kirby News

Fishery hopes

A SUSTAINABLE multi-million pound cockle industry could be on the horizon as Environment Agency Wales calls for expressions of interest for cockle fishery licences on the Dee estuary.

The proposed Dee Estuary Cockle Regulating Order, which is currently being considered by Welsh Ministers and the DEFRA Minister will, if approved, enable a sustainable, safe fishery that will boost the local economy as well as protecting wildlife.

This early call for interested parties is a move to accelerate the process should the order be agreed by Assembly and Government Ministers.

If the order is made, the agency expects to complete the allocation process in time for the fishery to open to 50 licence-holders on September 1.

Alan Winstone, of Environment Agency Wales, said: “We have started the application process early because it will take some weeks to complete and we have to make sure we issue the first licences properly.

“We want to make sure that, if the Order does get ministerial approval, we have everything in place to issue licences as swiftly as possible so the cockles can be harvested.”

The process for selecting successful licence applications will be subject to strict criteria. Each fisherman will have to demonstrate that they are a commercial cockle fisherman with a history of fishing the Dee estuary.

The cost of each licence, which will be about £1,000 per year, will enable the agency to cover the costs of regulating, managing and controlling cockle fishing on the Dee.

To apply for a licence, contact Julie Thomas, Environment Agency Wales, Parc Menai, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 4DE, telephone 01248 484163.