Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Cockle (Fisheries Management and Conservation) (Tramore Bay) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 533 of 2007) prohibit commercial harvesting of cockles within the area. The area of Tramore Bay and the backstrand area have been designated for protection as both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area for birds as part of Ireland's Natura 2000 network. Therefore, any proposal to introduce commercial cockle fishing in this area through a permitting system would need to be set out in a fisheries Natura plan, and such a plan would need to be appropriately assessed in order to identify the potential impacts of such fishing on the features of Natura 2000 sites in the area. The process governing the assessment and consideration of fisheries Natura plans is set out in the European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Sea-fisheries) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 290 of 2013).

Prior to any harvesting being allowed in the proposed fishing area, the area would also need to be classified by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority for the production of cockles under food safety legislation.

I am not aware of any requests to develop a commercial fishery for cockles in this area at this time. I would encourage members of the fishing industry looking to explore the potential for a viable fishery in the area in question to bring their proposals to the South East Regional Inshore Fisheries Forum for discussion and consideration. Further information on the Inshore Forums can be found online at www.inshoreforums.ie.