Last updated: 27 June, 2024 @ 17:24
It’s the most wonderful time of the year famously sang Andy Williams.
However, had the American singer been born in Poole, Dorset then he probably would have been singing about the opening of the clam and cockle season, and not yuletide fun.
The 25 May is a date long-awaited by clam and cockle aficionados everywhere as the day when the fishery in Poole Harbour finally reopens following its seasonal closure.
The Poole Harbour Clam and Cockle fishery was the first in the UK to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
The small-scale fishery issues just 45 permits, with vessels harvesting only adult Manila clams and cockles, with juvenile shellfish left on the seabed, helping to preserve stocks.
A thriving small-scale fishery
Clams and cockles from Poole are well-known for their quality, and the fisheries is worth more than £1m in first-hand sales.
Speaking ahead of the opening of the 2023 season, MSC fisheries outreach manager in the UK and Ireland, Lisa Bennett, said: “The Poole Harbour Clam and Cockle Fishery is a fantastic example of how MSC certification can enable a small-scale fishery not only to survive, but to thrive.”
Plump and well-flavoured cockles
In 2023, the cockles were particularly plump and well-flavoured – making them ideal for a cockle vongole or a jar of homemade perfect pickled cockles.
The Manila clams are always first-class, and can be cooked any number of ways – including steamed in a little dry sherry for an unusual and delicious twist.
Poole Harbour is also home to the sought-after Palourde clam, the gigantic American hard-shelled clam and the highly-prized Razor clam.
Clams and cockles: discover more
Read the Fish Face Seafood Blog guides to clams and cockles to find out more, and join us in celebrating the most wonderful time of the year!