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Cockle
Cerastoderma edule
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BIOLOGY
The common cockle is a bivalve mollusc found buried in mud and sand in estuaries and on beaches. The shell size is up to 5cm long, although average sizes tend to be around 3-4cm. Maturity occurs at a shell length of around 2cm. An organ called a siphon allows the animal to feed and breathe whilst buried in the sand. Cockles spawn from March to August, although exact times will vary from region to region.
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ADVICE
Choose cockles harvested legally using sustainable methods only. Overexploitation by mechanical harvesting and dredging causes damage to stocks, disturbance of seabed or estuary and depletion of prey species for birds and other marine life. The fishery in Burry Inlet, Wales is certified as an environmentally responsible fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council.
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