The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order 2024 (SI 2024 No. 1150).

This Order grants the Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority ("the Authority") the authority to regulate the cockle fishery in the estuary of the River Thames for a period of 28 years. Article 3 authorizes the Authority to regulate the cockle fishery within the boundaries of the regulated fishery, as defined in Schedule 1. Article 4 stipulates that no person may dredge, fish for, or harvest cockles within the regulated fishery without a licence issued by the Authority, unless an exemption is granted under Article 10. Article 5 addresses the process for licence applications, including their duration, renewal, and potential suspension. Article 7 regulates licence fees. Article 8 grants the Authority the power to establish reserves where fishing activities may be restricted or prohibited. To support the sustainable cultivation of the regulated fishery, Article 9 gives the Authority the power to remove juvenile cockles. Article 10 specifies the conditions under which the Authority may grant exemptions to individuals wishing to dredge, fish for, or take cockles for scientific or fisheries management purposes.