News

Call to release fish caught in the Western Cleddau

Published

10 years ago

June 27, 2014

ANGLERS are being asked to help conserve fish stocks by agreeing to release more of the salmon and sea trout they catch.

The request follows reports that the salmon and sea trout numbers in Welsh rivers declined last year. As part of efforts to address this, Natural Resources Wales would like to see anglers release at least 90% of their catch on ‘at risk’ salmon rivers. Releasing more of the salmon and sea trout they catch will enable more fish to migrate upstream to spawn and produce more juvenile fish to boost the population. At present an average of 72% of salmon and 76% of sea trout are released after being caught. Figures from the Wye and Taff, where mandatory 100% catch and release byelaws are in place, suggest that catch and release can have a positive effect on fish stocks. Both the Wye and Taff have shown an improvement in salmon numbers in 2013 and are now predicted to move out of the ‘at risk’ category by 2018. This is more than likely due to a combination of catch and release and improvements in habitat and water quality. Fish stocks in a total of 23 salmon and 27 sea trout rivers are assessed annually in Wales and placed in risk categories. The assessments based on 2013 figures show 20 salmon rivers either ‘at risk’ or ‘probably at risk’. Natural Resources Wales particularly wants to see more salmon released on the rivers including the Western Cleddau. The catch and release rate on the River Dee was already at an encouraging 81% last year but it is recommended that this should reach at least 90% this year. There is also cause for concern over sea trout stocks especially on the ‘at risk’ rivers Loughor, Tywi, Taf and Eastern and Western Cleddau, as well as the ‘probably at risk’ Tawe, Nevern, Rheidol, Ystwyth, Dwyryd, Seiont and Conwy. Rob Evans, fisheries advisor, Natural Resources Wales, said: “The number of fish migrating into many Welsh rivers was worryingly low last year so we are asking all anglers to help by releasing more of the fish they catch to boost the next generation. “Most anglers are already voluntarily practising catch and release and have been doing so for many years. Achieving 90% catch and release rates on the ‘at risk’ salmon rivers and further increasing the number of sea trout released, particularly the larger fish, may help to avoid the need for more mandatory byelaws. “There are many pressures on salmon and sea trout these days including loss of habitat, low marine survival and a changing climate but studies have shown the vast majority of released fish, if handled carefully, survive to spawn successfully.” Catch and release is one of several initiatives to improve Welsh fish stocks. Over the last 10 years Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government and EU funded Sustainable Fisheries Programme has, in partnership with Rivers Trusts and others, invested millions of pounds to improve stocks. This included opening up over 1,500km of access to spawning grounds by building fish passes and improving over 500km of habitat by, for example, fencing to exclude sheep and cattle from river banks. Netsmen have also seen their catch restricted in recent years but there may be a need to impose further restrictions. This will be assessed later this year as part of the process of reviewing our Net Limitation Orders. To give fish the best chance of survival anglers should use barbless single hooks, play the fish quickly, keep it in the water at all times and support the fish facing into the current until it is strong enough to swim away.

News

Welsh Lib Dems urge First Minister to return dodgy donation

Published

17 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the First Minister to return the £200,000 donation he received from a company linked to environmental crimes.

Speaking to the Senedd on Wednesday, party leader Jane Dodds MS urged FM Vaughan Gething to return money donated to his campaign by Dauson Environmental, a refuse and recycling business owned by David John Neal.

Mr Neal received a 3-month suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste at a conservation site on the Gwent levels.

His companies Atlantic Recycling and Neal Soil Suppliers were also prosecuted and given fines and costs of £202,000.

Then in 2017, Mr Neal was given another suspended sentence of 18 weeks, with fines and costs of £230,000 after failing to remove the waste.

The Welsh Lib Dems have called on the FM to return the donation, as part of wider calls for a shift away from the influence of “big money” in Welsh politics.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

“This entire episode has casted a dark shadow upon Welsh democracy and has rightfully led to many questioning the integrity of Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign and the way our democracy works here in Wales.

Unfortunately for many of us this is hardly surprising, as our political system has been broken for quite some time now.

A system that empowers the elite donor class whilst simultaneously shutting out the voice of the voter is a perversion of democracy itself.

This is why our wider goal must be to remove the influence of ‘big money’ from Welsh politics once and for all.

We cannot have another government that prioritises the interests of its financial benefactors over those of the Welsh people.

We need to take a firm stance in rooting out the influence of cash in Welsh politics, for the sake of our communities we must start prioritising their interests and needs instead of having more self-serving politicians.”

News

Council seeking legal advice to address Withyhedge enforcement

Published

17 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE County Council says it has sought legal advice and is contemplating legal proceedings against Withyhedge Landfill operators RML, in regards to the ongoing odour issues at the site.

The Council intends to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to abate the public nuisance odour arising from the landfill. Failure to comply with the injunction would be contempt of court, which carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fine.

Following significant work undertaken by RML the Authority is disappointed that the problem has not been resolved and residents continue to be impacted by the odour.

Working in collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Public Health Wales (PHW), we fully appreciate that the communities affected cannot tolerate this any longer.

NRW announced that the first set of deadlines for the completion of actions to tackle the ongoing odour issues at Withyhedge Landfill have been met, one week on following the issuing of further enforcement action on 18th April.

This will be closely monitored by NRW to ensure the operator complies with all the actions set out in Notice by 14 May.

It was deemed appropriate to wait until the operator had carried out mitigation to comply with the enforcement requirements by NRW prior to considering this additional action.

To that end, on 26th April 2024, the Council served RML with a letter of claim and invited them to give legally binding undertakings to abate the odour nuisance or face legal proceedings. The Council also asked for disclosure of documents relevant to the proceedings, including records of waste brought in or removed from the landfill.

The Council has given RML until 14th May 2024 to respond to its letter of claim. This aligns with the current deadline set by NRW under its enforcement notice.

Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Will Bramble welcomed the move. He said: “We are extremely disappointed that RML has not delivered the necessary action to stop the completely unacceptable smells from the site.

“We fully support the additional enforcement action being taken by NRW and continue to work closely with them to do all in our power to correct the situation.

“Our intention to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to stop the odour nuisance arising from the landfill, is another part of our collaborative approach. The smell from Withyhedge is having a major impact on residents and visitors. This situation has gone on too long and it is unacceptable.”

News

Beautiful, funny and lovely: Family pay tribute to Sian Batchelor

Published

19 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE family of a woman has paid tribute to a “beautiful, funny, lovely person.”

Sian Batchelor, aged 32, was found on a beach near Pennar, Pembroke Dock on Tuesday evening, April 30^th, 2024.

Her family has issued a statement to say: ‘We are devastated by our loss. Sian was a beautiful, funny, loving person. We will treasure the good times we had with her.

“We would now like time to grieve and would ask to be given privacy in which to do so.”

The circumstances surrounding Sian’s death are being investigated and police would like to hear from anyone with information, sightings of Sian or contact from Sian, between Thursday April 25 to Tuesday April 30.

Police can be contacted either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

Quote reference: DP-20240430-284