A FISHERIES expert said this week that no amount of regulation will stop people determined to venture out onto a beach in darkness to pick cockles.

Mark Stafford, a fisheries officer, spoke out as calls grew for a stricter permit system for Morecambe Bay.

Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Geraldine Smith has backed demands for tighter controls to stop gangs cashing in on cockles by using inexperienced pickers.

"At the moment Morecambe Bay is a free-for-all and that is the route of the problem that led to this tragedy," she says.

Local fishermen have indicated a willingness to pay up to £500 to fish the Bay if tighter regulations are enforced, the MP says.

Money raised could pay for enforcement officers to make Morecambe Bay safer.

But Mr Stafford says only so much prevention is feasible because the public right to fish is contained in the Magna Carta. Any bid to stop that right could be challenged.

Mr Stafford, a member of the Sea Fisheries Committee of South Wales, spoke up after the Lancaster-based North Western and North Wales sea fisheries committee refused to comment beyond a short statement on the day of the tragedy.

Local cockler Jack Mannering says it is 'a difficult situation to control', and agrees that more regulation could not have prevented the tragedy.

"It is up to those who go out there to know what they are doing and if they did not then the person who organised it should have."

He wants local fishermen to be consulted on any changes.

"It has been suggested no-one should go out after sunset but we are full time fishermen and have to go at night," he says.

"There are lots of different avenues to be explored to try and bring more regulation, but it is going to take time."

Ms Smith is also pushing for a national licensing scheme for gang masters.

A private member's bill, seeking to curb exploitative activities of gang masters, is being presented to the House of Commons on February 27.

Minister for Rural Affairs Alun Michael said this week its aims have full Government support.

"Gangmasters who operate outside the law cannot be allowed to continue to put workers' lives at risk," he said. "The Government will therefore ensure that the full force of the law is brought to bear on those committing these crimes."