Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 14 February 2017.
I can say that investigations into cockle mortality on the Burry inlet do continue. A progress review of an investigation we have funded will be released by Natural Resources Wales when that is complete. We are working with the industry to develop legislation to improve the management and sustainability of Government-managed cockle fisheries as well. It is a complex issue. Some years ago. I remember diarrhetic shellfish poisoning affecting the cockle beds—it was never clear what the cause was. There were different theories about what had happened. What we do know, of course, is that the affliction was there in the cockle beds. So, it’s important now that a thorough investigation is finished in good time so we have an answer. Once, of course, we have answers, we can then provide the most effective legislative response possible.