Solway Cockle Fishery Management Study

8. Conclusion

This study faced a number of challenges in its implementation, most significant was the low cockle yields. It has however enabled a large amount of work to take place on improving the capacity of key enforcement agencies and raised awareness in the local region of a commitment to a sustainable low impact fishery. Procedures to improve health and safety on the beach and ground work put in place for better food traceability were significant achievements in this study. The study has produced basic information on the profile of pickers wishing to prosecute this fishery and produced a model to estimate licence requirements of a given TAC which is a useful tool of future management. In the final section of this report a range of management options have been outlined which, in essence, starts with a time limited fishery and then add on layers of regulations which increases the level of controls, as well as environment and social benefits. These all however carry increased level of administrative burden which needs to a balanced with available resources.

Whilst not covered in any detail in this study an available biomass of harvestable cockles is what drives the opening of this fishery. The cockle assessments undertaken in 2013 showed an increase in biomass from previous years (Stamp et al, 2013), but as described in detail in the Southall and Tully (2014) report, cockles experience periodic recruitment which creates a high level of uncertainty around a year on year fishery. The burden of management needs careful consideration given this inescapable limitation.

This report has developed 11 key observations specific to the Solway fishery but which are also applicable to other cockle fisheries around the UK. These have been informed by the TURF model for fisheries management, but given the fractious nature of the groups working in this area, implementing a TURF model in its entirety is some way off. Local management should still be an aspiration, but more capacity and better cohesion between stakeholders will need to be built for this to become a reality.

It is well recognised that the cockles in the Scottish Solway are a valuable resource that has the potential to offer real benefits to the local region but it is also very clear that there is no intention of returning to the anarchic fishery of the past. Regulations need to be put in place and whilst the TURF model has much to contribute for producing a fair and equitable system, traditional approaches used in other Scottish fisheries, for example individual licences (rather that the TURF model of community licences) may have a place in this fishery. The options presented in table 7 should be given attention by administrators and key stakeholders and the collaborations developed during this study should continue so a sustainable cockle fishery can become a reality in the Scottish Solway.