Authorisation Now Revoked Leven and Flookburgh will open to Byelaw 3 Permit holders as a craam only cockle fishery on 8/10/18. The full authorisation can be seen below or downloaded here: Leven and Flookburgh Craam Cockle Fishery 2018 Please note: Officers are considering the logistics of opening the Pilling fishery and it will be referred back to the Technical, Science and Byelaws Subcommittee for a decision Issue Date: 8th October 2018 Expiry Date: REVOKED effective 7/11/18 Update to Authorisation 11th October 2018 The authorisation has been changed to to prohibit the carriage, possession and use of any rake. See condition e for full details. Update to Authorisation 25th October 2018 The authorisation has been changed to specify monthly returns. All Current Byelaw 3 Permit Holders All current Byelaw 3 permit holders are hereby authorised to remove size cockle from Flookburgh and Leven cockle beds in accordance with this authorisation and are responsible for complying with the conditions given below at Paragraphs 1 and 2 1. Conditions of Authorisation to Remove Cockle This authorisation is issued subject to the following conditions. a) The authorisation is valid only for current Byelaw 3 permit holders. b) Removal of size cockle is permitted only during…

New Bass measures for recreational fishers are to come into force on 1st October. The new measures are as follows: One specimen of European seabass (over 42cm) may be retained per fisher per day between 1st October to 31st December (inclusive). Further information can be found on the MMO’s website and the Eur-Lex website

NWIFCA officers assisted by Lancashire Police encountered two persons illegally fishing for cockles at Pilling Sands in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The investigation is currently ongoing and the authority cannot comment further at this time.

A new project is underway to help improve advice on ways to prevent seals from taking fish catches. Seals eat catches from fishing gear in areas throughout English waters, particularly in the south west, north east and east.  This is costly to the industry both in terms of loss of catch but also in damaged gear. ABPmer, a marine consultancy based on the south coast, is working with the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) to gain an up-to-date understanding of the issue, and to identify and trial possible seal deterrents with the fishing industry. Suzannah Walmsley, project manager, said; “Current government advice is that other deterrents must be tried before shooting. However when you’re on a fishing vessel in open water, alternative viable options are limited.” “We would like as many fishermen as possible to complete our online survey about their experiences of interactions with seals, whether they experience an issue or not. We want to know about the extent of the problem, the impact on the fishing industry, and any experiences with or ideas about possible seal deterrent options. There is even the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher for completing the survey!” Following the data gathering…

The NWIFCA is to authorise current NWIFCA Byelaw 3 permit holders to gather cockle (size and undersize) from North Penfold from 30th July 2018 to 31st August 2018. Fishing is only authorised during specified tides Monday – Friday (excluding bank holiday Monday). For full details read the Authorisation and HRA available to download below. Authorisation and HRA North Penfold Authorisation North Penfold HRA Access Permits You must obtain an access permit from Sefton Council to access the fishery. Vehicle permits will not be issued on site and must be in place prior to the cockle fishery opening. No permits will be issued after the 27th July. All vehicle permit applications will require the following documentation: Current and valid vehicle insurance documents for quad bike and transport vehicle Signed terms and conditions Completed contact information sheet And one of the following: NWIFCA Byelaw 3 Permit or; NWIFCA Support Worker Permit or; GLAA Gangmaster Licence If you wish to supply documents in advance, contact Gill Burcombe at [email protected] for a vehicle permit application pack. Permits must be collected from the Ainsdale Discovery Centre (address below) between Monday 23rd July – Friday 27th July between the hours of 10:00 and 15:30. You can arrange your…

Each year the Shark Trust work with the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs department (Defra) to produce and distribute Commercial Fisheries Advisories. These are designed to assist the commercial fishing industry and fisheries management and enforcement agencies. They provide rapid access to the current legislative status of sharks, skates and rays in UK, EU and international waters. In 2018 the Shark Trust have produced 29 Commercial Fisheries Advisories, which can be downloaded here: Sharktrust.org The shark, skate and ray ID Guides may also be useful.

The NWIFCA is to authorise current NWIFCA Byelaw 3 permit holders to gather seed mussel from Heysham Flat skear from Monday 23 July 2018. Fishing is only authorised during daylight hours Monday – Friday. For full details view the Authorisation and HRA below. Authorisation and HRA Heysham Flat Seed Mussel Authorisation Heysham Flat Seed Mussel HRA Access Permits Access arrangements to the fishery must be made through Lancaster City Council.  

Defra has opened a consultation on the recently published fisheries white paper. The paper sets out Defra’s plan for the future of fisheries management post leaving the EU. The consultation is open for ten weeks and closes on 12th September 2018. You can find the white paper, the consultation, and respond to the consultation on Defra’s website here.

Chinese mitten crabs are present in the Walney Channel. Chinese mitten crabs are an invasive non-native species and are listed as a Species of Union Concern under EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) it is an offence to release Chinese mitten crab. They must not be imported, transported, permitted to reproduce or grow, or released into the environment. Anyone found guilty of this offence is liable to legal proceedings and hefty fines. It is in your interest and the prospect of future fisheries and markets to follow this advice. There is a risk of presence of Chinese mitten crab amongst the mussel in Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary. You are advised to treat the movement of mussels with the utmost caution, especially mussel going for relaying so that you do not transport Chinese mitten crab to other areas. Use the advice in the Bangor Mussel Producers ‘Mussel Code of Practice for seed mussel movements’ to inspect your catch before moving it from the bed. The level of risk depends on the time of year and life stage. Over the winter the greatest risk is from adults, which can be identified from…

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a formal consultation on proposed new management measures to prohibit bottom towed fishing gear within West of Walney Marine conservation Zone (MCZ) as a result of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) revised approach to managing fisheries in marine protected areas (MPA). The consultation will run from 08 May until the 13 July 2018. As part of the consultation MMO is asking for comments on the draft byelaw, associated impact assessment and the sites fisheries assessment. Information about this consultation can be found here. All responses from the formal public consultation will be considered, and if appropriate, MMO will amend the draft byelaw before either making the byelaw, or consulting on the amended draft byelaw. Further information about these consultations can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-fisheries-in-marine-protected-areas. Information can also be requested from [email protected].

Following unanimous agreement at the Bivalve Mollusc Working Group (BMWG) meeting held on 3rd May 2018, NWIFCA has issued an Authorisation to Byelaw 3 permit holders to remove undersize mussel from a specified area on the South America/Falklands skears in north Morecambe Bay. The authorisation is limited to specific tides for 6 days starting on 14th May. Full details of conditions under which all gathering must be carried out are within the authorisation, along with the mapping and co-ordinates of the only areas open for fishing. The authorisation can be found here: South America/Falklands Authorisation A full Habitats Regulations Assessment for this fishery is available here: South America/Falklands HRA Further discussion on this area will take place at the next BMWG meeting to be held on 6th June following further survey and inspection.

North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) is calling for fishermen and women to follow a Voluntary Ban on placing nets around St Bees starting 1st March 2018. Although thankfully not a common occurrence, there have been distressing reports in the past of numbers of birds getting caught up in the nets and drowning. Obviously no one wants or intends this, and fishers themselves have been deeply upset when it has occurred. As fisheries regulators the NWIFCA has a duty to ensure that netting is not having a damaging effect on birds. The breeding season is the crucial time for seabirds such as razorbills and guillemots nesting on the cliffs at St Bees. Following meetings with fishers, Natural England and the RSPB the NWIFCA Technical Science and Byelaws Sub-committee (TSB) agreed the introduction of a Voluntary Code of Practice to be brought in in 2018. A copy of the report is available here. St Bees is an important cliff habitat for breeding seabirds, and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It also lies within the Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Many of the bird species are diving birds which have the potential to become…