Environment Agency Wales

“Environment Agency Wales opened part of a bed for six days in the Dee Estuary, on the border of north Wales.”

“It is expected the beds will then open as normal on 1 July.”

“The agency is allowing 60 tonnes of the smaller cockles to be harvested from an area measuring 100m x 30m (328ft x 98ft).”

“The smaller cockles are expected to fetch about £200 per tonne, compared to an average price of £450 per tonne.”

“At the time, the agency said warm weather was responsible for the highest number of deaths, with up to 20% on the densest part of the beds suffering 'post-spawning heat-related stress'.”