Future of Cockle Stocks Under Debate

15 May, 2009 - 09:23 — admin

 Future of Cockle Stocks Under Debate

At a well attended meeting in Northbay Hall, there was considerable discussion about the future of the cockle stocks on the Traigh Mhor, following the stock appraisal report carried out in March which put the biomass on the beach at just over 200 tonnes .  At the present time there are upwards of 40 tonnes of cockles exported from the island on an annual basis. The question being debated was; Can the Traigh continue to sustain this level of fishery annually given the current depleted level of the biomass of cockles on the beach? There was discussion on the sizes of cockles being harvested, the timing of the stock appraisal, and how the fishery could be managed for the long term future of the cockle industry on the island. What cannot be ignored is the fact that from a total estimated biomass of over 1000 tonnes in the 1980s, stocks are now well down. What was agreed was that there needs to be an ongoing appraisal of the stocking levels of the cockles, and it is likely that management of such fisheries will become the responsibility of the Inshore Fishery Group for the Western Isles.
 
Also extremely useful was a presentation on the requirements placed on harvesters and buyers with regard to sampling and testing and the responses required:
a) Sampling on a monthly basis for the presence of bacteria eg Ecoli, which results in classification of the beach on an annual basis but a bad sample in any month must be responded to immediately by harvesters and buyers.
b) Sampling on a weekly basis for the presence of algal toxins caused by Algal Blooms, which, in recent weeks have identified the toxin DSP on the beach and, for the first time ever; resulted in the immediate and complete closure of the Traigh Mhor and surrounding areas to harvesting of cockles for any reason.
 
With regard to the sampling process, a workshop had been held on Barra by the Food Standards Agency on both these subjects above which was very poorly attended.
 
It is worth remembering, that the cockle stocks on the Traigh Mhor are a considerable resource for everyone on the island, and we have a responsibility to ensure that they are harvested in a sustainable manner. If stocks recovered to the 1000 tonnes biomass of the 1980s, then not just 30 or 40 tonnes could be going out from here but up to 200 tonnes on an annual basis, a valuable harvest indeed.