COCKLE FISHERIES IN AWARD RENEWAL BID The managers of a cockle fishery in the Burry Inlet hope a new phase of re-assessment will lead to its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification being extended for five years. First awarded its MSC certificate in April 2001, annual checks have been carried out by independent certification body, Moody Marine Ltd. The current award as it relates to cockle (Molluscan) fisheries is not only the first of its kind in Wales, but in the World as a whole. Dr Andrew Hough of Moody said “we are nearing completion of our independent re-assessment of the Burry Inlet Cockle Fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing. Our report has been produced and our recommendation is that the fishery should be re-certified for a further five years but with one condition requiring further attention by SWSFC, our client. This recommendation has been upheld by two independent peer reviewers. The assessment process has a number of key stages yet to complete, however, including stakeholder review of the draft report. " Phil Coates, Director of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee, which as grantees of the Burry Inlet Cockle Fishery Order commissioned the independent re-assessment, said: "Renewal of this award would be a tremendous accolade to the SWSFC. At a time when cockle fisheries everywhere are under great pressure and the challenges of balancing fisheries exploitation against needs to conserve the marine environment have never been higher, the renewal of this award would be a testament to the Committees all round management prowess.” He said that he hoped that licensing would be extended to the nearby 3 Rivers Cockle fishery soon and that could similarly benefit from the Committees good management and a future MSC accreditation bid. EPC Minister Carwyn Jones recently released an “Environment strategy for Wales” [3] which lists “Number of Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainable fisheries in Wales” as one of three* [3] measurable outcomes as a monitor for the marine environment. The Prime Ministers “Net Benefits: a sustainable and profitable future for UK fishing” [6] report also calls for more fisheries to be accredited. But there are uncertainties to come ….. Secondly, whilst not jeopardising the assessment itself, a mystery affliction has killed many thousands of tonnes of cockles each year since 2003 worth tens of millions of pounds and is destroying the livelihoods of those involved. Phil Coates said “It is a tragedy to see that so many cockles have gone to waste through some sort of “natural” cause which likely relates to a combination of factors. This is has had both an economic and wider ecological impact.” The SWSFC and S&WWFC Ltd [7] on behalf of the cockle industry has called for combined funding for a long term study from a range of sources including the Environment Agency, Welsh Assembly Government, Local Authorities and Countryside Council for Wales but, as yet, none have been able to find any finances. He said that “He hoped that the continuation of this award would serve to draw attention to the problem and that would see the necessary monies raised so that the Welsh academic institutions, who were standing ready and well qualified to do the work, could commence the studies to the benefit of the Welsh environment and economy as a whole.” NOTES FOR EDITORS:
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