News

Salmon face extinction in Welsh rivers by 2030, report warns

Published

2 months ago

January 29, 2026

Environment watchdog says Wales is at a “critical tipping point” as nature declines faster than it can recover

SALMON could disappear from some Welsh rivers within the next five years, according to a stark new assessment of the nation’s environment.

The warning comes in the State of Natural Resources Report 2025, published by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which concludes that Wales is degrading its natural resources more quickly than they can be replenished.

NRW says nearly one in five species in Wales is now at risk of extinction, with freshwater ecosystems among the most pressured. Atlantic salmon, already in long-term decline, are highlighted as being particularly vulnerable, with some river systems potentially losing the species altogether by 2030 if current trends continue.

The report describes the environment as being under “sustained and intensifying pressure”, driven by the combined effects of climate change, pollution, habitat loss and unsustainable land use. It also states that Wales is consuming more than its fair share of global natural resources, placing further strain on already fragile ecosystems.

One of the most concerning findings is that there has been no overall improvement in the resilience of Wales’ freshwater environments since 2020. Only around 40 per cent of water bodies are currently achieving what is classified as “good status”, while fish populations and river habitats continue to deteriorate.

Speaking after the report’s publication, NRW chair Neil Sachdev said restoring nature could not be left to environmental bodies alone.

“Our report shows that restoring nature is a whole-society challenge,” he said. “It demands collective ownership across public bodies, businesses, communities and citizens.

“This is not just a warning about our future; it is a reckoning with our present. If we act now, with urgency and shared ownership, Wales can lead not just in ambition, but by delivering the scale of transformation the nation needs.”

The report argues that avoiding a deepening environmental and climate crisis will require fundamental changes to how people live, including how homes are heated, how food is produced and consumed, how people travel, and how land is managed.

Despite the bleak assessment, NRW notes that some progress has been made since its previous major report six years ago. Peatland restoration projects, tighter air-quality legislation, the Sustainable Farming Scheme and the Wales Metal Mines Programme are cited as targeted interventions beginning to address long-standing problems.

Commenting on the findings, Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, warned that environmental failure would hit the poorest communities hardest.

“Nature is one of our most powerful allies – preventing flooding, reducing pollution and protecting our health,” he said. “Without urgent, coordinated action to halt and reverse this decline, we are quite literally putting lives at risk unnecessarily.”

He pointed to nature-based solutions already being used in Wales, from urban green roofs to seagrass restoration, and said every part of the public sector needed to play a role in unlocking their potential.

Responding on behalf of the Welsh Government, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said the report would play a key role in shaping future policy.

“Protecting and enhancing nature is essential for people today and for future generations,” he said. “Wales has made real progress, but we need to go further again.

“This report sets out how we can work together to restore nature, tackle pollution and build resilience to climate change. The Welsh Government will lead this work alongside partners across the public sector, business and communities to turn evidence into meaningful action.”

For rivers across West Wales, including those once famed for their salmon runs, the report makes clear that time is now a critical factor — with decisive action needed if iconic species are to be saved from disappearing altogether.

News

Motorcyclist injured in Johnston crash after overtaking lorry

Published

5 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Rider treated by paramedics following collision with van pulling out from junction

A MOTORCYCLIST was treated by paramedics after a collision with a van in Johnston on Monday morning (Mar 16).

The crash happened shortly after 9.15am as the rider was overtaking a lorry through slow-moving traffic on the main road. It is understood the lorry blocked the rider’s view of a van pulling out from a junction near KO Carpets.

Police units attended promptly to assist at the scene.

The motorcyclist is not believed to have been seriously injured.

The van suffered slight damage, including a broken wing mirror.

The road was not closed, police said.

Health

Plaid Cymru to hold public meeting over Withybush hospital surgery cuts

Published

7 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Candidates say residents must be heard after emergency services decision

PLAID CYMRU candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro constituency will host a public meeting in Pembrokeshire to discuss concerns over the future of services at Withybush Hospital.

The event will take place at 6:30pm on Monday (Mar 31) at Letterston Village Hall, giving residents the opportunity to share their experiences and concerns following Hywel Dda University Health Board’s decision last month to remove emergency general surgery from the hospital.

Campaigners say the move will force many patients requiring urgent treatment to travel further for care, raising fears about the potential impact on patient safety in rural west Wales.

Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said: “Withybush is such an important hospital for the community and residents of Pembrokeshire. The decision to remove its emergency general surgery will severely weaken the life-saving capacity of this hospital.

“Plaid Cymru has long championed small rural hospitals such as Bronglais and Withybush. We need to ensure these hospitals remain strong local services within our communities. Withybush should have the basic life-saving and everyday treatment services it needs to function as a full general hospital.”

Kerry Ferguson, Plaid Cymru candidate for Pembrokeshire within the Ceredigion Penfro constituency, said the recent success of a public petition had demonstrated the strength of local feeling.

“It’s great to see that the online petition calling for Welsh Government intervention to restore emergency surgery and essential services at Withybush has reached its target, meaning it will now be debated in the Senedd,” she said.

“We are extremely disappointed by the Health Board’s decision to remove emergency general surgery at Withybush. Increased journey times for anyone in need of urgent medical treatment will put lives at risk. We need government intervention now to overturn this decision.”

Residents across Pembrokeshire have continued to raise concerns about the future of services at the hospital, which has long been a focal point in debates about healthcare provision in rural west Wales.

Climate

Research vessel begins mission to study seabed carbon in Irish Sea

Published

7 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Bangor University scientists join £2.1m project investigating the impact of bottom trawling on carbon stored beneath the seabed

A STATE OF THE ART research vessel has set sail from Liverpool to investigate how bottom trawling may affect carbon stored in the seabed of the Irish Sea.

The scientific expedition is part of a £2.1 million research project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and led by Professor Jan Geert Hiddink of Bangor University.

A team of eighteen scientists has embarked on the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels, for a three-and-a-half-week voyage studying the impact of fishing activity on carbon held in seabed sediments.

Before the ship departed, a number of local dignitaries were invited aboard for a tour of the vessel, including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and National Oceanography Centre Operations Director Natalie Campbell.

Professor Jan Geert Hiddink, from Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said bottom-trawl fishing is both vital to global food supply and a major disturbance to seabed environments.

“Bottom-trawl fishing provides around a quarter of global seafood but is also the most extensive physical disturbance caused by human activities to stocks of carbon locked in seabed sediments,” he said.

“This is important because recent evidence suggests that disturbing the seabed could lead to the release of significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the seabed into the atmosphere.

“There are still major uncertainties about how this disturbance affects carbon stored beneath the seabed. As a result, the impact of these disturbances is largely unquantified and currently unregulated.

“The aim of this project is to gain a much clearer understanding of what is happening so that scientists, policymakers and regulators can make informed decisions in the future.”

Seven research organisations are collaborating on the project: Bangor University, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Heriot-Watt University, the University of Leeds, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the University of St Andrews, and Imperial College London.

Caption: Scientists prepare to begin their research aboard the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.