Cockling in the Dee Estuary was banned due to declining numbers

Environment Agency Wales will allow cockle gathering to resume in part of the Dee Estuary, north Wales, in July.

Cockling in the Dee Estuary was suspended in August last year because of a decline in numbers.

Police have said they will carry out checks on cockle pickers' licences and equipment to ensure safety.

Safety plan

There will be strict controls on the number of days cockle picking is allowed in an effort to preserve numbers of the shellfish.

Environment Agency Wales, which is responsible for managing the sea fisheries in the Dee Estuary, will reopen the Salisbury Bank bed on 13 and 14 July with two further harvesting days likely later in the month.

Lessons have been learnt after the tragedy in Morecambe Bay Inspector Dave Jolly, North Wales Police

But the agency said the numbers of cockles on the remaining banks - West Kirby, Thurstaston and Mostyn - in the estuary remain low and they will remain closed to fishermen.

The agency added it would hold talks with the police and other organisations to work out a safety plan for the cockle pickers.

In February 2004, 23 Chinese cockle pickers drowned in Morecombe Bay in Lancashire after being caught by fast-rising tides.

Cockling ban

Inspector Dave Jolly of North Wales Police said: "We want to make sure that we have a co-ordinated approach to ensure that everyone is working in a safe environment.

"Lessons have been learnt after the tragedy in Morecambe Bay. "We'll be checking the identification and addresses of everyone going out onto the cockle beds, making sure they're properly licensed and that they're properly equipped with boats and life jackets.

"We don't anyone to be put at risk."

Last August, a 12-month ban was placed on cockle picking in the estuary after a survey found a decline in the number of mature cockles.

Increased numbers

But following a new survey, it was found that numbers of cockles on the Salisbury bank are sufficient to allow harvesting without threatening overall population levels.

The cockle populations and harvest on the Dee estuary have varied greatly over the past 20 years partly because of over-harvesting due to the high market price for cockles.

Alan Winstone, the Agency's North Wales Coast Environment Manager said: "Our surveys show that there should be enough cockles for at least four days harvesting but by opening initially for two days, we can then monitor to ensure the risk of over-cropping is minimised."

Harvesting will be restricted to cockle pickers who have a valid permit and the agency said it was expecting to issue several hundred.