Wash Cockle Fishery – Hunstanton bed to open on 28 June 2026

The Hunstanton cockle bed was not opened at the start of the fishery as a precaution to prevent the spread of the diseases into this area from fishing activity. The reason for this was that samples taken from Hunstanton in February were analysed by Cefas and one of the main pathogens thought to cause the die-off of cockles in The Wash, the Martelia parasite, was absent from the cockles.

Additional samples were collected from Hunstanton this week and officers observed die-off on the bed consistent with die-off seen throughout the Wash as caused by Martelia and the other pathogens.

This indicates that the disease is present within the Hunstanton bed and removes the need for the closure. As such, the area will be open from the start of the next open period, from 0400hrs on Sunday 28 June 2026.