Certification of the Poole Clam & Cockle Fishery

The Poole clam and cockle is the first fishery in the world to be awarded both Responsible Fishing Scheme and Marine Stewardship Council certification as a result of successful collaboration between managers and fishermen, the Southern IFCA and the Poole & District Fishermen’s Association.

The Fishery

  • Species: Cockle (Cerastoderma edule) and Manila Clam, aka Japanese carpet shell (Ruditapes philippinarum)
  • Market: Most of the clam and cockle is being retained in the UK and can be bought at Waitrose fish counters with additional markets in France and Spain.

The Issue

  • When the clam fishery was first established in the 1980s, it was managed under a separate byelaw (from the Southern IFCA) where a license was required for catching this higher value species, clams.
  • There were only 25 licenses for catching clams, but some fishing with the same gear, reported they were fishing for cockles, were also fishing for clams.
  • This led to unlicensed and unregistered fishing boats dredging for clams.

The Solution

  • Dialogue and collaboration between managers (the Southern IFCA) and fishermen (the Poole & District Fishermen’s Association) led to the introduction of a permit scheme bringing together fisheries by gear type and species; issuing 45 licenses for the clam and cockle fishery.
  • Clams and cockles are both harvested using the same gear, a “pump-scoop” dredge. This uses water jets to move clams and cockles into the dredge basket and wash through sediment, without dislodging the shellfish from the seabed. It is operated during daylight high tides.
  • This partnership has led to the fishery being the first in the world to receive MSC and Seafish’s Responsible Fishers Scheme certifications, creating a thriving and sustainable fishery.

The Process

  • The fishery was originally managed under the Poole Fishery Order 1985, a hybrid and regulating order which managed the wild fishery for clam species.
  • The Poole Harbour Dredge Permit Byelaw was introduced on 1st July 2015 to replace the Fishery order and manage the wild dredge fishery for shellfish. The byelaw manages the direct use of fishing gear rather than the particular species.
  • Two years before the expiry of the Poole Fishery Order in 2015, Southern IFCA engaged with Poole and District Fishermens’ Association to assess how to move forward with best management measures.
  • In 2018, the Poole Harbour Clam and Cockle fishery was the first in Dorset to receive MSC certification. This was a 2 year journey with close consultation and collaboration between fishermen, managers and other stakeholders.
  • In 2018, fishermen within the fishery were also certified under the Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS)
  • The fishery operates within the boundary of the Poole Harbour Special Protection Area (SPA), site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and Ramsar site. The management was developed in close consultation with Natural England and other organisations to ensure that the fishing methods are compatible with conservation objectives.
  • The Poole Clam and Cockle Fishery Partnership project builds on the successes of working in partnership to address management of the fishery. In order to maintain MSC certification, a number of condition must be met between the fishery and species which are endangered, threatened or protected (ETP).
  • In October 2020 the fishery received funding from the Ocean Stewardship fund (OSF) programme of the MSC to further the work of the conservation through training and creation of educational materials.

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“The Poole Harbour clam and cockle fishery is one of the most extraordinary in the U.K., with only a handful of small boats being seasonally allowed to catch clams and cockles, supporting a sustainable stock. The experience of eating them is incredible, the juices are salty and sweet and the texture is wonderfully firm.”

Mitch Tonks, award-winning chef, restaurateur and food writer

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