High-density Year-0 cockle closures

Eastern IFCA manages Wash cockle fisheries through a combination of different management measures to ensure stock sustainability, industry viability and protection of Marine Protected Areas.

An important component of the management measures is the closures of areas which support high-density Year-0 (i.e. juvenile) cockles. These areas are thought to contain cockles which will support future fisheries and are particularly important for supporting industry viability in the long-term.

At the Wash fishing industry meeting (19 May 2026) industry members queried the effectiveness of the closures and expressed concerns that closing these areas to fishing activity did not often result in higher cockle biomass in following years as expected, particularly on certain beds. As such, the Authority undertook to investigate the effectiveness of the closures. This full investigation, which focusses on high-density Year-0 closures on the Wrangle Sand is available here and summarised below.

Summary of findings

The report evaluated the effectiveness of spatial closures at Wrangle Sand in protecting Year‑0 juvenile cockles within the Wash cockle fishery. Spatial closures are used in place of minimum landing sizes to safeguard high-density juvenile stocks and ensure long-term fishery sustainability while meeting environmental obligations. The report was written to consider concerns raised by Wash cockle fishermen that Year-0 cockle closures are repeatedly put in place over the same area with the result ultimately being the loss of cockles rather than safeguarding biomass for future fisheries.

Analysis of survey data from 2008–2025 shows that closures have generally been successful, particularly when applied at larger scales. Closures in 2011, 2015, and 2017 resulted in substantial increases in cockle biomass, with juveniles growing significantly and supporting productive fisheries in subsequent years. In contrast, smaller, more recent closures (2023 and 2025) appeared less effective, although further investigation suggests this may partly reflect survey inaccuracies and localised stock variability rather than true failure.

The report highlights key challenges affecting closure performance and perception, including the patchy (heterogeneous) distribution of cockles, relatively low survey resolution, and the potential for sampling bias to over- or underestimate stock abundance. These factors can lead to misalignment between closures and actual stock distribution, contributing to industry concerns.

Overall, despite some limitations, the evidence indicates that spatial closures at Wrangle have been an effective management tool, with protected juvenile stocks more than doubling in biomass on average. The report also highlights that the perception of repeated closures over the same areas and which result in loss of cockle stock is not supported by the stock surveys. Continued refinement of survey methods and closure alignment is recommended to improve accuracy and stakeholder confidence.

Please note – the Authority is consulting on proposals for the 2026 Wash cockle fishery and the deadline for responses is midday Thursday 11 June 2026. To find out more and respond to the consultation, click here.