 The cocklers died in Morecambe Bay on Thursday |
The head of a Deeside-based cockling firm has called the deaths of 19 people who drowned after getting trapped by tides in Morecambe Bay a "tragedy waiting to happen". On Thursday night, a group of over 30 mostly Chinese workers became stranded on the sands after going out to pick cockles from the Lancashire bay.
Colin MacDonald runs the Holywell-based Wirral Seafoods and has up to 70 staff working out of the Morecambe Bay area.
He said people in the cockling trade had been calling on the government for years to regulate the industry to prevent disasters like this from happening.
The victims were believed to be migrants who may have been working for organised gang bosses.
He told BBC Radio Wales: "We'd stopped cockling until next Wednesday because of the state of the tides.
"It's horrendous working in places like Morecambe Bay.
"The foreshore men that we have with us know the area, they know how dangerous cockling is.
 |  This has been a tragedy waiting to happen and it's terrible that it's happened  |
"They respect the sea."
He said the company tried to impose some self-regulation and prevent pickers going out at dangerous times by not buying cockles from them.
But he stressed the authorities needed to take action.
"For 15 to 18 years we have been knocking on doors trying to tell the authorities we need regulations.
"The cockling industry has got a very bad name, but the bad name is for the very simple reason that nobody listens," he said.
"This has been a tragedy waiting to happen and it's terrible that it's happened.
"But perhaps now people will sit up and realise the cockling industry is a big industry and we need help.
 The Morecambe Bay area is known to be treacherous |
"We need regulations or we are going to see more things like this happening." Huge rescue effort
The disaster occurred after a group of more than 30 cocklers were trapped by rising water in the Hest Bank area of the Lancashire bay.
They were pulled out of the near-freezing sea during a huge rescue effort by coastguards, lifeboats and the RAF overnight.
Two women and 17 men lost their lives, while 16 survivors are being cared for by social services in the area.
Police said on Saturday they were expecting to make arrests in the Merseyside area following the disaster.
They have appealed for help in identifying the victims.
Police issued two numbers in connection with the incident: For witnesses or those with information - 01524 63333
For worried relatives - 0870 9020999
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