Written question asked by Ben Wallace (Conservative) on Thursday, 1 December 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 December 2005. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Monday, 12 December 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Cockle Beds (Pilling Sands)

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the plans of the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee to re-open cockle beds at Pilling Sands before the end of this year.

Answer: Inshore fisheries management at Morecambe Bay, and the decision to re-open cockle beds at Pilling Sands is the responsibility of the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee. The Committee works together with other Government Agencies to ensure appropriate regulation of cockle fishing. I will be considering whether additional provision for effective inshore fisheries management needs to be made in the Government's planned Marine Bill.

Secondary information