The shellfish beds in the area have been closed since September 2011 in a bid to allow stocks to recover.

BBC: Solway Firth cockle patrols stepped up

And unlike most of their East Coast counterparts--who commonly dredge submerged shellfish beds from boats--Puget Sound oyster growers typically seed beds in tidal shelves right off the beaches, and walk out to tend them and harvest when the tide is down.

FORBES: Lifestyle Feature

Highland Fresh Mussels was launched 14 years ago to harvest shellfish from mussel beds in the Dornoch Firth.

BBC: Highland Fresh Mussels' future in question

In October last year, cockle beds on the Swansea side of the Burry Inlet were temporarily closed after shellfish samples tested positive for E. coli.

BBC: Cockle picker at Burry Inlet