Solway cockle bed raiders could be deterred with new plans

Aug 16 2012 By Patricia Lewis

POLICE could get new powers to deal with fly by night illegal gangs raiding the Solway cockle beds.

Proposals are being considered by the Scottish Government after a meeting in the wake of protests from coastal communities.

High on the agenda was an attempt to sort out a policing  grey area which has seen a bit of  a stand-off between the Dumfries and Galloway force and Marine Scotland.

The police insist their powers  do not extend to the foreshore  where the poacher gangs operate.
Marine Scotland insist responsibility does lie with the police.

Poachers have regularly been stripping cockle beds near Sandgreen and Fleet Bay since the winter.

It was agreed at Friday’s meeting in Dumfries that a  framework would be drafted to help local officers, Marine Scotland and other organisations improve the way intelligence on investigations is shared.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Gangmaster Licensing Association were involved in the meeting.

Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead, who was in  the chair, said: “A number of options are now being considered to ensure that the existing ban can be upheld and  local disturbances removed.

“A strategy will be prepared  to allow all public bodies with  an interest in the issue to work  more closely together, including sharing intelligence.

“Proposals are being considered on additional enforcement powers as well as changes to how existing offences are specified that could make them easier to enforce.

“I look forward to appropriate  measures being implemented that will help to resolve this  issue as soon as possible.”

Re-opening the Solway to licensed cockle-pickers was also discussed.

But a local gangmaster has criticised the meeting, which was closed to the public.

Colin Bryden, from Dumfries, said that local fishermen and gangmasters needed to be more involved if the fishery was  re-opened.

He said: “I agree with the  police needing more powers to  deal with the problem. I do not dispute that.
“But we spend all this money  on involving all these people  and groups when we could use  the police, gangmasters and local fishermen to solve the problem.

“These people and groups like  SNH make decisions but they  do not tell the people who work  on the beds.

"It would be better run by local people."