2010 to Present EIFCA (Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) The Wash Intertidal Cockle Surveys

Intertidal cockle surveys are conducted annually in spring between the end of March and throughout April. Data is collected for stock assessments to inform fisheries management of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 regulated cockle fishery (Total Allowable Catch, which beds to open, spatial closures to protect juvenile stocks and to identify potential issues that might cause natural mortality to occur as a result of over-crowding). Data also forms part of the Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) process required to open a fishery under Regulation 61 of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI No. 2010/490), regarding The Wash and North Norfolk Coast Special Area of Conservation (Habitats Directive), The Wash Special Protected Area (Birds directive), the Wash Ramsar and SSSIs.
Surveys are conducted on the intertidal sandbanks and mudflats of The Wash, which are broken down into 22 beds/survey areas. The survey incorporates approximately 1,250 sample stations that are arranged in a regular grid pattern with the same stations being used each year. Sampling is conducted either using a 0.1m2 Day grab over high water periods or by sampling on foot at low water using a 0.1m2 quadrat.

潮间带蛏贝调查每年春季在三月末至四月期间进行。数据收集旨在为库存评估提供信息，以便渔业管理部门对1992年《沃什渔业命令》规定的蛏贝渔业（总可捕量、可开启的渔场、为保护幼体资源而设的空域封锁以及识别可能导致过度拥挤而引起自然死亡率增加的可能问题）进行管理。数据也是《栖息地法规评估》（HRA）过程的一部分，该过程是依据2010年《栖息地和物种保护法规》第61条（2010年第490号法规）在开放渔业时必须进行的，涉及沃什和诺福克海岸特别保护区（栖息地指令）、沃什特别保护区（鸟类指令）、沃什拉姆萨尔湿地和具有特殊科学、自然和考古价值的地点（SSSI）。调查在沃什的潮间沙洲和滩涂上进行，这些区域被划分为22个渔场/调查区域。调查包含约1250个样本站，这些样本站以规则的网格图案排列，每年使用相同的站点。采样可以在高潮期使用0.1平方米的日抓网进行，或者在低潮期步行采样，使用0.1平方米的正方形网格。