Lord Cavendish blocked access to cockle beds in 2003

Negotiations took place after Lord Cavendish, owner of Holker Hall in Cumbria, closed foreshore areas owned by his estates, in 2003.

Holker Hall officials and local fishermen's representatives are considering new ways to manage access.

The area hit the headlines after 21 cocklers died when they became stranded in February this year.

Lord Cavendish said he took the decision in August 2003 after a rise in the number of people from Britain and abroad took up cockling.

A permit system was introduced in an effort to manage access to the beds, but quickly became oversubscribed.

'Disorder risk'

Estate managers then tried to enforce a �5 levy on every bag of cockles collected by fishermen who accessed the beds from Holker-owned land.

But Cumbria Police became concerned at the practice, which was often enforced by estate staff with dogs.

Residents at nearby Kents Bank have also complained about hundreds of cocklers trying to get to beds.

Insp Ally Dufty of Cumbria Police said: "We are hoping Holker will allow access to the cockle beds and come up with a better way of managing this, perhaps by instigating an annual fee, similar to that of a golf course.

"We are always concerned about safety and the risk of disorder and want to see tensions in the area eased."

Fraud investigation

Conservative MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Collins, has called for government action to stem the "invasion" of cockling gangs from all over the country.

A Holker Hall spokeswoman said a statement would be made after talks were completed.

Lord Cavendish claimed some unscrupulous cocklers were earning up to �1,000 a week.

Cockles are loaded onto articulated vehicles and taken abroad.

Some cocklers, who are known to be claiming state benefits, have been the subject of raids by government fraud investigation teams and officers investigating illegal immigrants.