Report to Parliament on Orders Regulating the Management of Shellfisheries under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 (accessible)
Updated 20 January 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-orders-regulating-the-management-of-shellfisheries-2020-to-2025/report-to-parliament-on-orders-regulating-the-management-of-shellfisheries-under-the-sea-fisheries-shellfish-act-1967-accessible
From 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025
Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 6 of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967.
In pursuance of Section 6 of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act, 1967, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs makes the following report. It covers the applications to and proceedings of the Secretary of State under the provisions of the Act during 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Applications accepted or under consideration (April 2020 to April 2025)
Portland Harbour Several Order
Application: Portland Harbour Several Order
Applicant: Portland Port
Location: Portland Harbour, Dorset
Notes: This new application made by the Portland Harbour Authority to encompass their area of jurisdiction after a previous (private) Order application covering part of the harbour was withdrawn. The applicant had found a more suitable location having modified their aquaculture business plan.
The Wash Fishery Order
Application: The Wash Fishery Order
Applicant: Eastern Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority
Location: The Wash, North Norfolk / Lincolnshire
Notes: The Eastern IFCA (EIFCA) have applied for a 20 year Several Order. This Order is intended to replace the Several fishery aspects of the now expired Wash Fishery Order 1992. The proposed Wash Fishery Order will allow EIFCA to grant exclusive fishing rights to individuals (lay holders) for the purposes of shellfish aquaculture. It is designed to make wider fishing activities within the Wash more resilient by promoting aquaculture.
The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order
Application: The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order
Applicant: Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority
Location: The Thames Estuary, Kent and Essex
Notes: The Kent and Essex IFCA (KEIFCA) have applied for a 28 year Regulating Order. This Order is intended to replace the Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order 1994 which is set to expire in September 2024. The proposed Order will give KEIFCA the powers to regulate the fishery and the ability to ensure that the fishery is environmentally sustainable in the long term and contribute to the local coastal community through providing skilled employment.
Applications refused (2020 to 2025)
Outer Thames Estuary Several Order
Application: Outer Thames Estuary Several Order
Applicant: Cardium Shellfish
Location: Outer Thames Estuary
Notes: This application could not continue, as having received the full location details from the applicant, when plotted the site was found to fall outside the 6 nautical mile limit that these SROs can be granted within under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967.
Applications withdrawn (2020 to 2025)
Portland Harbour Several Order
Application: Portland Harbour Several Order
Applicant: Giles Lawson
Location: Portland Harbour, Dorset
Notes: Private application withdrawn (see above) following a change to the applicant’s business model and the need for a more suitable site, that could be managed under a Marine Licence rather than a Several Order.
Public inquiries held (2020 to 2025)
None.
Shellfish orders made (2020 to 2025)
The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order
Application: The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order
Applicant: Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority
Location: The Thames Estuary, Kent and Essex
Notes: none.
Shellfish orders revoked (2020 to 2025)
None.
Applications for variations (2020 to 2025)
Wash Fishery Order 1992
Application: Wash Fishery Order 1992
Applicant: Eastern IFCA
Location: The Wash, North Norfolk / Lincolnshire
Variation: An application for an amendment to the Wash Fishery Regulations was received prior to its expiry. No new regulations were introduced, but previous conditions included on the licence were transferred to the existing fishery regulations, so that they would be more easily understood by the fishers and enforced by the IFCA. These consolidated regulations were approved by the Minister in May 2021.
Shellfish orders expired (2020 to 2025)
Wash Fishery Order 1992
Order: Wash Fishery Order 1992
Grantee: Eastern IFCA
Location: The Wash, North Norfolk / Lincolnshire
Notes: After 30 years of operation the Wash Fishery Order (WFO) 1992 expired in January 2023. The Eastern IFCA agreed in March 2020 to replace the Regulating Order with a byelaw under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to provide more contemporary and sustainable management for the cockle and mussel fisheries into the future, this is currently under consideration. A new Several Order has also been applied for to facilitate aquaculture activity within the Wash which is compatible with the conservation objectives of The Wash Marine Protected Areas.
Horsey Island Mussel Fishery Order 1963
Order: Horsey Island Mussel Fishery Order 1963
Grantee: Wilfred Jasper Backhouse and Nancy Catherine Backhouse
Location: Horsey Island, Essex
Notes: After 60 years of operation, the Horsey Island Mussel Fishery Order 1963 expired in June 2023. This Order is not expected to be renewed.
The River Roach Oyster Fishery Order 2013
Order: The River Roach Oyster Fishery Order 2013
Grantee: Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority
Location: River Roach, Essex
Notes: The fishery rights to native oysters in the River Roach were granted in 1923, for a period of 60 years, to the River Roach Oyster Fishery Co. Ltd. In 1965, the rights of the Order were assigned to the Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee. The River Roach Oyster Fishery Order 1992 was granted for 20 years, and in 2013, a replacement order was applied for by KEIFCA to act as an interim measure whilst the future management for native oysters was considered. In August 2023, the River Roach Oyster Fishery Order 2013 expired. It is not expected to be renewed.
Requests for directions on the issue of licences under a regulating order (2020 to 2025)
Wash Fishery Order 1992
Order: Wash Fishery Order 1992
Grantee: Eastern IFCA
Location: The Wash, North Norfolk / Lincolnshire
Directions given: Second part of a proposal to increase fees over a 2-year period to achieve a 50% cost recovery for the IFCA in managing the fishery were agreed in principle but deferred in April 2020 due to the potential Covid 19 impacts on the cockle fishery during 2020. In fact, the fees were actually reduced from £678 to £330 in response to the pandemic. The new fee structure applied from May 2021 when it was approved and consented by the Minister until the expiry of the Order in January 2023.
Licence fees
| Licence type | 2018 fee | 2019 fee | 2020 fee* | 2021 fee | 2022 fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand work | £330 | £678 | £330 | £568.31 licence fee £254.68 cockle fee £121.31 mussel fee |
£757.75 licence fee £339.57 cockle fee £162.48 mussel fee |
*to mitigate against impacts of Covid 19 restrictions on the market.
Cancellation of a licence under a regulating order (2020 to 25)
None.