Written By: Morag Walker MCIPR
On Date: 14/3/2018
Resolving the impacts of land management on the freshwater environment Many of the rivers of Wales are facing a range of ecological threats which threaten to render them unfit for the wild fish and other aquatic wildlife that depend on clean freshwaters to survive. As Richard Garner Williams, National Officer for wild fish charity, Salmon & Trout Conservation Cymru (S&TC Cymru) explains “Time is running out to protect our wonderful river environments. Immediate action is required if we wish to protect our rivers from further deterioration.”
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural spring seminar, the charity has decided to provide another opportunity for stakeholders from all sides of the debate to share their views and help drive forward the changes required to protect these precious freshwater environments. This year’s seminar will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on Tuesday, April the 3rd.
Richard explains the significance of this event, “It was evident from our seminar last year that a change in priorities and approach is required if we are to manage the land without detriment to the rivers and streams of Wales. As the only wholly independent charity campaigning for wild fish and their environment we are in a good position to act as mediator and catalyst in encouraging stakeholders to progress from the discussion stage and implement change.”
Many rivers in Wales are currently suffering from alarming levels of pollution from source to sea. In the uplands, forestry plantations are causing the acidification of spawning grounds and nursery areas to the point that they are incapable of sustaining any complex life forms while in the lowlands, chronic and acute pollution arising from intensive agricultural practices is having a devastating effect, not only on fish but also on aquatic invertebrates such as mayflies, sedges and dragonflies as well as freshwater plantlife. This, in turn, is affecting the fortunes of other species such as kingfishers, dippers and otters which cannot survive without a flourishing freshwater environment.
Richard Garner Williams continues, “It is appalling that many of our rivers are under as much threat from human activity now as they were at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Agricultural pollution affects some 180 individual waterbodies in Wales and the number of reported pollution incidents shows no sign of a decline. Restoring the health of the rivers of Wales to their former glory is paramount and this year’s seminar will present the opportunity for us to dig deeper into the principle challenges arising from land management and identify workable and immediate solutions.”
Salmon & Trout Conservation Cymru’s Seminar on 3rd April at the Royal Welsh Showground will run from 10.00am to 3.00pm and will include a light lunch. A full list of contributors will be available in due course. The event is free to attend for all those interested in the future health of river environments in Wales. To book a place to attend, please contact: Richard Garner Williams by email on: wales@salmon-trout.org. Places will be limited, so please book early in order to participate and air your views at this significant event.
For more information on this press release, please contact: Morag Walker on (mobile: 07736 124097) or email: morag@salmon-trout.org
Notes to editors
Salmon & Trout Conservation (S&TC) was established as the Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) in 1903 to address the damage done to our rivers by the polluting effects of the Industrial Revolution. S&TC is the UK’s leading campaigning wild fish charity. We work to increase awareness of the growing need to protect our wild fish stocks and the rivers, lakes and oceans upon which they depend, in the face of issues such as pollution, over abstraction and insensitive salmon farming. Our aim is to achieve better protection for fish, aquatic wildlife and the places where they live for future generations to enjoy.
FIELD AND STREAM