Fisheries (Cockles Conservation and Culture) Regulations 2002

These Regulations make provision in order to ensure the protection and preservation of cockles. To this purpose, Regulation 3 prohibits the taking of any cockle spat from a natural cockle bed or cultured cockle bed. On the other hand, to take cockle seeds or adult cockles from a natural cockle bed or cultured cockle bed, the prior issuance of a licence is required. In case of granting of such licence, however, cockle seeds as well as cockle adults may be taken from a natural cockle bed only from six in the morning until six in the evening. Regulation 8 regards the issuance of the licence, upon payment of the fee referred to. Further prohibitions and restrictions apply to the sale and purchase of cockle seeds (Regulation 9). Regulation 16 establishes the general penalty to be applied in case of violation of these provisions. Two schedules are attached: the first one contains the application forms relevant to the granting of the above-mentioned licences; the second one specifies the fees to be paid for obtaining such licences.