1.1 At an industry meeting last year, a suggestion was made that the Committee consider a trial dredge fishery for size mussels in Morecambe Bay on areas that could not be fished effectively by hand-gathering. This was discussed at the Scientific & Byelaws Technical Sub-Committee meeting on 17^th July 2008, the idea was subsequently adopted at the Joint Committee meeting on the 12^th September 2008.

1.2 Following receipt of a formal request from industry to establish the trial at the southern tip of Foulney Twist, a consultation was undertaken with interested parties. No clear consensus on the technical aspects of the trial was forthcoming from that and, on further consideration, officers became increasingly concerned that the current legal framework for managing any such a trial was insufficiently robust to avoid wider adverse impacts on the mussel fishery as a whole or significant enforcement difficulties.

1.3 A subsequent recommendation by officers to the Joint Committee on 12th June 2009 to postpone the trial was rejected and it was resolved that officers be given delegated powers to authorise a trial for under 10m boats if a fishable stock was identified within the proposed area.

2.1 Officers have now carried out ground inspections of the proposed trial area and these confirm what was apparent from an earlier aerial survey, advised to the Joint Committee at the meeting of 12^th June 2009 that the mussels there had been heavily predated by starfish and were no longer viable as a fishable stock.

2.2 Analysis of a sample from the area gave low meat yields for the time of year (<19%) and, from a market acceptability point of view, revealed a high proportion of pearling (15%).

2.3 Officers remain concerned about the possibility of unintended consequences from authorising such a trial at this time, particularly in respect of being unable to limit the numbers of boats.

2.4 This also remains a contentious issue within the industry, with a lack of consensus as to how any future fishery should be conducted and managed. Further expressions of interest in dredging have been received since the June meeting, and correspondence on the matter is reproduced at Annex A. It is suggested that, given the complexity of this issue, the matter should be taken once more to the Scientific & Byelaws Technical Sub-Committee for further consideration and deliberations.