Revision to November Operating Times Agreed

Following the 10% increase in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the 2026 Wash cockle fishery the Authority has now agreed the revision to November operating times intended to support the effective sorting of catch following Industry feedback that indicated that sorting catch and identifying small cockles and brood is more difficult during the hours of darkness. The Authority considered that concentrating fishing activity during daylight hours will help fishermen meet expectations around catch sorting and reduce the risk of unwanted material being retained or landed.

The Authority has agreed the revision which includes  the removal of three fishing days that would have required a significant proportion of fishing activity to take place during hours of darkness. As a result, the fishery will not now be open between 4 and 6 November (inclusive).

The revised operating times are available here: Revised Operating Times

For more information on this please read the 2026 Wash Cockle Fishery