WIRRAL fisherman working on the River Dee say last minute changes to fishing quotas could see the cockle population wiped out within months.
They are furious at the decision by the Environment Agency to only impose a yearly quota and ask fishermen to measure how much they fish on a daily basis.
A Wirral-based fisherman – one of just 50 to be awarded licences to work on the Dee – said at least 40 had voted for daily quotas.
He said allowing fishermen to declare their own catches would allow unscrupulous operators to fish large amounts and finish off the beds which have been frequently closed over recent years to avoid over-fishing.
He said: “If there is no bailiff there, then they just won’t declare it, come back the next day and carry on fishing.”
The fisherman – who asked not to be named – said fishermen from farther away had less commitment to the long-term viability of the Dee cockle beds than locals.
