The only way to deal with cockle fishing in Lake Illawarra is to ban it, according to Anna Watson.
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The Shellharbour MP is calling on the government to bring in a two-year moratorium on people fishing cockles out of the lake.
Ms Watson said she had received complaints from residents about cockle fishers taking far in excess of the allowed 50 per person.
It was time to give the lake "a breather", the Shellharbour MP said.
"The overharvesting of cockles is a great concern for myself and residents of the Illawarra, this continues despite the restriction placed on the harvesting of cockles to 50 per person - people continue to harvest them as they please," Ms Watson said.
The MP has written to Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall calling for a two-year moratorium on cockle fishing.
In that letter she asked for the ban to stay in place "until a full environmental impact assessment is done on the health of the lake and the sustainability of cockle harvesting".
"This is once again an issue in Lake Illawarra and will continue to be so while ever the illegal harvesting of cockles takes place," Ms Watson said.
"We need increased boots on the ground and larger fines for those who continue to flout the law."
Ms Watson's call goes further than what Shellharbour councillor Peter Moran planned to discuss in a notice of motion at next week's council meeting.
The councillor wanted the government to reduce the bag limit from 50 to 20.
Cr Moran said the fishing had gotten worse this year.
With the weather warming up the councillor said cockle fishers were now being spotted all the way around Lake Illawarra.
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