Community

Recycle Môr: Turning the tide on ghost gear in Wales’ small harbours

Published

1 year ago

May 3, 2025

Sea Trust project gives abandoned fishing nets a second life—and communities a cleaner future

A COMMUNITY-LED project in Pembrokeshire is helping tackle one of the most overlooked threats to Welsh marine life: abandoned fishing gear.

Recycle Môr, run by Sea Trust Wales as part of the Natur am Byth! programme, is working to reduce the environmental and economic impact of End of Life (EoL) fishing gear—nets, ropes, and other equipment discarded at sea or in harbours. These “ghost gear” items can continue to kill wildlife for years. A single net is estimated to kill 500,000 invertebrates, 1,700 fish, and four seabirds.

***Lloyd Nev Kev at Abercastle Harbour with Recycle Mor Bin*** (Image: Recycle Môr)

The problem is especially acute in small harbours, which often lack waste facilities for commercial fishers—and where recycling options are virtually non-existent.

Recycle Môr provides a simple but effective solution: bright, accessible recycling bins placed in small harbours where fishers can dispose of their old gear for free. The scheme also encourages retrieval of marine litter spotted at sea. Once collected, the gear is sent for specialist recycling and transformed into practical items such as sunglasses, litter pickers, bag hoops, and knives.

***Recycle Mor Bin in Abercastle Harbour*** (Image: Recycle Môr)

Lloyd Nelmes, Project Officer for Sea Trust and the developer of Recycle Môr, said: “Fishing gear is made from incredibly durable materials that can take hundreds, even thousands, of years to break down. Dumping it in landfill—or worse, at sea—is both wasteful and damaging. We’re tackling that by making recycling easy, visible, and community-driven.”

Launched as a small-scale pilot, Recycle Môr has grown rapidly. In under four years, over 10 tonnes of fishing gear have been recycled thanks to the participation of local fishing communities.

But with success comes a new challenge. The demand has outpaced funding. Without further support, the project may have to scale back.

There are currently nine bins in use across small Pembrokeshire harbours, emptied daily by Sea Trust staff and volunteers. But the cost of maintaining the network is rising.

“If we can’t cover basic costs—materials, collection, and transport—we may have to remove bins altogether,” Nelmes said. “That would be a huge step backwards for the communities and the coastline.”

Additional funding would not only secure existing operations but also support the project’s long-term ambition: to expand Recycle Môr across coastal communities throughout Wales.

***Lloyd and Chris with Recycle Mor Bin at Tenby Harbour*** (Image: Recycle Môr)

Community

New town map unveiled in Fishguard

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW town map has been installed in the heart of Fishguard to help residents and visitors discover more of what the area has to offer.

The map, created by Visit Fishguard & Goodwick’s in-house graphic designer, has been placed on the Abergwaun Hotel tunnel, near Offshore Surfwear’s new shop.

The group said it was “incredibly proud” of the finished result and thanked the building owner for allowing the map to be installed on the premises.

Visit Fishguard & Goodwick is now hoping to create a similar map for Goodwick and is asking for help from a centrally located building owner who may be willing to host it.

Anyone who can help, or knows of a suitable location, is being asked to get in touch with Visit Fishguard & Goodwick.

Community

Tenby Summer Spectacular cancelled amid council row over harbour access

Published

7 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Organisers say popular charity events cannot safely go ahead without clear powers to control crowds

TENBY ROUND TABLE has announced that this summer’s Tenby Summer Spectacular events have been cancelled until further notice amid a dispute with Pembrokeshire County Council over crowd control at the harbour.

The events, which were due to take place on Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, August 30, have been a major feature of Tenby’s summer calendar for decades, drawing large crowds to the harbour for entertainment, food, drink and fireworks.

In a statement, Tenby Round Table said the decision had been made “with enormous sadness” and claimed it had been forced on organisers because of unresolved issues over the safe management of pedestrian access.

The organisation said it needed the council’s Public Realm department to use statutory powers to temporarily restrict pedestrian access through the event area when capacity is reached.

Organisers said the matter had first been raised with the council in September 2025 and again formally in writing in May 2026.

They said volunteers had attended meetings, commissioned professional health and safety consultants and worked on Event Management Plans, but claimed the council had still not provided a clear answer.

Tenby Round Table said: “PCC’s Public Realm department has had nine months to answer one question on safe and controlled access to the harbour. It has not done so.”

The group also alleged that recent written responses from the council contained factual inaccuracies and misleading statements about the relevant legislation.

It added that the council’s legal advice was understood to be provisional and still under internal review.

The cancellation is currently described as provisional, with organisers giving the council a final deadline of June 25 to provide what they describe as a clear, accurate and legally grounded answer.

Tenby Round Table said that if this is provided, it will do everything possible to reinstate the events.

The group said the Summer Spectacular had raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities, sports teams, community groups and worthy individuals since it began.

It said the cancellation would be a devastating blow to those who benefit from the funds raised.

The statement added that organisers are still working with Dyfed-Powys Police and other relevant authorities ahead of a council licensing committee meeting in July, which is expected to consider whether the event licence should be renewed, amended or withdrawn.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council for comment.

Community

Haverfordwest lounge praised for charity work

Published

12 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HAVERFORDWEST venue has been praised for raising more than £2,600 for local charities through a series of community events.

Castle Ward county councillor Thomas Tudor visited The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest with Henry Tufnell MP, where they met manager Stephanie Davies.

Cllr Tudor said Stephanie had “truly embraced” her role in the community, organising events including a duck race, sports quiz, Mad Hatter’s tea party for Little Loungers, a bake sale and a drag night show.

Together, the events have raised £2,637 for local good causes.

Charities to benefit include The VC Gallery, Tŷ Hafan and Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Cancer Support Centre.

Cllr Tudor said: “It was lovely to introduce Henry Tufnell MP to Stephanie Davies, manager of The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.

“Stephanie has truly embraced her role in the community of Haverfordwest, running many exciting initiatives and raising a staggering £2,637 for local charities.”

The fundraising continues this week, with Rock ’n’ Roll Bingo and a Wild West country and western night featuring a rodeo bull.

Caption: Community support: Thomas Tudor, Stephanie Davies and Henry Tufnell MP outside The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.