P-05-703 Proposal to Postpone the Restrictions on Fishing in Welsh Rivers.
P-05-703 Proposal to Postpone the Restrictions on Fishing in Welsh Rivers.
This petition was submitted by Alex Young, having
collected 689 signatures.
Petition
Wording
We call on the National Assembly for Wales to urge
the Welsh Government to ensure an immediate postponement of the 10-year catch
& release proposal for all salmon on Welsh rivers, whilst a full and proper
impact assessment is carried out into the effects on local business and tourist
economy, at a time when the Welsh economy is already suffering due to the
decline in steel production. We believe this matter requires urgent attention.
I am chairman of Abergwili Angling Club, based in
Carmarthen and I'm concerned by recent proposals by NRW to impose a ten- year
catch and release only policy for salmon on all Welsh rivers, with no
scientific evidence that pleasure anglers are responsible for the decline in
migratory salmon stock.
A high percentage of our Club members travel into
Wales bringing much needed revenue into the local economy. Below you will find
extracts from the NRW’s own technical report that highlights the losses that
may well be incurred, following the expected loss of anglers coming to Wales,
should NRW go ahead with a 10-year Salmon catch & release programme.
Additional
information
Below
are extracts from a recent ‘consultation’ with anglers, in West Wales :-
NRW B B 40.15 Annex 2 TECHNICAL REPORT: MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE
DECLINE IN STOCKS OF SALMON AND SOME SEA TROUT IN WALES
7. Salmon and sea trout are iconic and important species in our rivers. They
support recreational fisheries that bring economic benefit (in excess of £74
million annual expenditure in Wales, supporting around 1,500 Welsh jobs and £32
million in household income, Mawle and Peirson, 2009), often to rural
communities, and are widely recognised as indicators of good environmental
quality. Salmon support the designation of six rivers designated as Special
Areas of Conservation. These are the SAC rivers, as designated under the
Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) in Wales. The salmon is also a
feature of the Severn Estuary European Marine site (a SAC, and a site also
designated as a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive and a Ramsar
site). 8. Welsh Government has set objectives for NRW to contribute to
objectives for freshwater fisheries management, broadly by promotion of the
conservation and maintenance of the diversity of migratory and freshwater fish,
and by enhancing the contribution that migratory and freshwater fisheries make
to the economy, particularly in remote rural areas and in areas with low levels
of income. NRW also has statutory duties for fisheries under the Environment
Act (1995), and obligations as set out in the UK Governments responsibilities
to NASCO (the North Atlantic Conservation Organisation) to which the EC is a
signatory.
Furthermore,
the answer to a recent Freedom of Information request –ref: ATI – 09971a – is
set out below:-
As part of any case for proposed new fishing control measures Natural Resources
Wales is obliged to consider socio-economic factors. I can confirm that this
has yet to take place, therefore regulation 12.4(a) of the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 applies.
Information not held. We do not have an expected date of when this will be
completed however we do hope to complete it later this year.
Status
This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to close it and in doing so, to send the petitioner’s comments to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in advance of their planned consultation on salmon stock control measures due to take place in late 2016/early 2017.
It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on
13/09/2016
Assembly
Constituency and Region
- Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
- Mid and West Wales
Further information
Business type: Petition
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Complete
First published: 08/08/2016