North Western IFCA

02/09/2026

⚠️ Cockle Beds Closed

Due to the low stocks of size cockles across the district, all beds in the NWIFCA district, including Morecambe Bay, Ribble Estuary and Leasowe, will be closed from September 1st 2026.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping to protect and sustain local cockle stocks.

20/08/2026

Over the last few weeks, our enforcement officers have been busy conducting patrols in the Leasowe area and enforcement action is being taken where necessary.

Our officers will continue to carry out regular patrols and engage with members of the public, offering advice where possible and taking enforcement action when necessary.

For further information on local byelaws, please visit our website or contact us directly.

12/08/2026

📣 All Byelaw 4 Permit Holders - both recreational and commercial - your renewal letters have been posted so please keep an eye out for them. 📣

Your next steps are:

1. Submit completed application form to the office.
2. Ensure full payment by card or BACS is received by 30th September. If paying by BACS please include invoice number as the payment reference.
Please do not make payment until the application form is received by the office.
3. Once payment is confirmed, permits will be sent by post.

Many thanks
The Admin Team

10/08/2026

📣 Job Vacancy Reminder – Closing Soon! 📣

NWIFCA is seeking to recruit an Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Officer (Intelligence).

This is a specialist dual role working in the Authority’s Enforcement Team, acting as a front-line fisheries enforcement officer, whilst also fulfilling the role of our Intelligence Officer.

⏰ Applications close on Sunday 16 August 2026.

For full details and how to apply, please see the vacancy information below.

Please share this post with anyone who may be interested in this opportunity.

North Western IFCA is recruiting for an Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Officer (Intelligence), to be based at our Head Office in Carnforth, Lancashire.

07/08/2026

🌊This National Marine Week celebrates the incredible journeys made by marine life.

One species close to home that undertakes a remarkable journey of its own is the common cockle. Although adult cockles spend most of their lives buried in the seabed, their microscopic larvae can travel vast distances on ocean currents before settling.

By combining particle-tracking models with genetic analysis, researchers have identified strong links between cockle populations in Britain and Ireland, with larvae thought to be transported between them by tides and currents. Understanding how these populations are connected, and when and how these journeys occur, helps us better protect cockle stocks and manage this important fishery.

NWIFCA have part funded a joint PhD project with to try and answer this question in relation to our own district cockle fisheries.

06/08/2026

📣At the meeting held on Tuesday 4th August, The Technical, Science and Byelaw Sub-Committee (TSB) agreed to the following recommendation, proposed by Members:

All District cockle beds, including those in Morecambe Bay, Ribble Estuary and Leasowe, remain closed for the rest of the closed season, and from September 1st 2026 until 31st August 2027, subject to the requirements for the Authority to manage its fisheries in an adaptive manner.

Due to the low stocks of size cockles across the district, all beds will be closed from September 1st 2026.

30/07/2026

📣Wirral Anglers - we want to hear from you 📣

Share your knowledge of smooth-hounds in the Wirral.

The questionnaire deadline has been extended until 1st November 2026.

Please click on the link below for further information.

NWIFCA is currently looking into the wash-up of smooth-hounds (both starry and common species) along the Wirral coastline. As part of this, we are issuing a call for evidence to all anglers who fish in the boxed area shown below (from Formby Point to Hilbre Island). We have created an anonymous ques...

29/07/2026

📣Stakeholder Events Dee Estuary Cockle Fishery: New Regulating Order 📣

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is working in partnership with the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) to apply for a new Regulating Order for the Dee Estuary cockle fishery.

A series of stakeholder engagement sessions will be held during August to give people the opportunity to learn more about the proposals and share their views with the project team.

Appointments will be available as 45 minute slots on a one-to-one basis or for small groups of up to five.

The sessions will take place at:

Thursday 6 August – Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
The Old Police Room (Room 4), Victoria Hall, Main Street, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6DP

Wednesday 12 August – Greenfield, Flintshire
Victorian Schoolroom, Greenfield Valley Heritage Park, Greenfield Road, Greenfield, Holywell, CH8 7GH

Wednesday 19 August – Wallasey, Merseyside
Wallasey Beach CIC, Coastal Drive, Wallasey, CH45 3PZ

Wednesday 26 August – Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Furnace Hall, Furnace Community Hall, 51 Stradey Road, Llanelli, SA15 4ET

To book an appointment, please call 01524 727 970 or email [email protected].

For further information, please click on the link.

Find and participate in consultations run by Natural Resources Wales

23/07/2026

Our team of officers have now completed their annual cockle fisheries surveys.

The results and recommendations can be found at the link below.

Table 1. Summary of cockle biomass estimates and whether the 2026 Cockle Fisheries Management Plan opening thresholds have been met.

22/07/2026

📣 Job Vacancy Reminder – Closing Soon! 📣

NWIFCA is seeking to recruit a Dee Estuary Cockle Fishery Management Officer / IFCO.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to work at the heart of one of the most important cockle fisheries in the UK. The successful candidate will be employed by NWIFCA and, following a short induction period, will be seconded to NRW as their Dee Estuary Cockle Officer with responsibility for the day-to-day management of the existing Dee Estuary Cockle Fishery Regulating Order until 30th June 2028.

⏰ Applications close on Sunday 26 July 2026.

For full details and how to apply, please see the vacancy information below.

Please share this post with anyone who may be interested in this opportunity.

North Western IFCA is recruiting a new position. As an initial fixed term post, during which the postholder would be on secondment to Natural Resources Wales (NRW), this is a very unique opportunity. At the end of the fixed term and the secondment, there is then potential for the position to be made...