From Opus

Current revision

[edit] Industrial Cockling on North Wirral Shore

COCKLING ON LEASOWE SHORE: The cockle bed at Leasowe (off Leasowe Gunsite) has recently been opened by North West Fisheries for commercial cockling resulting in many vehicles on the beach racing up and down without any regard to local residents or the birdlife. This area is a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation, a Ramsar site and a SSSI yet the fisheries can completely disregard all this. As well as the damage, disturbance and noise there is litter and mess scattered everywhere, local tax payers will have to pay to get it all cleaned up. There is also the question of public safety as this is an area where many people go walking. I would advise everyone who is concerned by this to voice their concerns to the local press, MPs and councillors, but in particular complain to North West Fisheries (http://www.nw-sfc.gov.uk/enquiry.asp), the more people that complain the better. Natural England are the body which looks after the interests of SPAs, SACs etc but apparently fishery interests override them - Click here to contact Natural England. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/dewmuw/5199138659/ to see a video of the beach and get an idea of the scale of this operation.