The beds have opened off the Lancashire coast for only the third time in over two decades, allowing a 12 day window for licensed permit holders to operate
Sun 11 Aug 2013 17.58 EDT First published on Sun 11 Aug 2013 17.58 EDT
Cockle fisherman working with tramps and rakes to harvest their catch on sandbanks at the Foulnaze Cockle Fishery off the Lancashire coast.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The best fishermen can bag up to 350kg a day. They sell directly, for around £2 per kg, to quad bike mounted buyers from Welsh and Spanish tinning factories. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
In 2011 there was a 'gold rush' at Foulnaze as thousands of both veteran cocklers and inexperienced opportunists set sail from Lytham, a small coastal town. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The 150 or so men who remain - now all tightly regulated and needing 500 annual permits - this year report poor stock levels.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Many local fishermen predict this may be their final season at Foulnaze as they fear, in an effort to replenish stocks, the north west inshore fisheries and conservation authority will shut the beds for the final time in their working lifetimes.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
During the 2011 'gold rush', boats from as far afield as Russia came to fish the Foulnaze Bank. One fisherman at the time described it as 'a complete free for all'.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
It can be a dangerous industry. Two years ago, cockle beds in the Fylde were closed after lifeboats had to be called out 26 times to assist cockle pickers in trouble amid fears of another Morecambe Bay style tragedy following the 2004 disaster when 21 Chinese cockle pickers drowned.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Staff at Fylde council are providing extra litter bins, portable toilets and litter patrols and will guide cocklers’ vehicles to the designated parking areas to minimise congestion on neighbouring streets.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Other rules to be followed include the fact that activities are limited to specified times and all boats must have qualified skippers.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Cockle picking in the area was banned last year. Two men were fined after illegally fishing cockles off the Fylde coast.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Fisherman can work all day and night - a bumper crop of cockles can secure them £1,000 a day each.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The bags are stuffed and piled up, ready for the buyers to come and collect.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
