Dear All
1. Against the background of
declining stocks of migratory salmonids, especially sewin, in Welsh
rivers, particularly Afon Twyi, is any consideration being given to
the termination or reduction of the currently permitted commercial
exploitation of those species?
2. How, and how often, is the physical monitoring of licensed
commercial exploitation undertaken by NRW staff?
3. Do staff undertaking monitoring have any vessels at their
disposal to permit spot-checking of commercial activity?
4. What measures are taken to ensure the accuracy of catch returns
submitted by licensed commercial operators?
5. How is the tagging system which commercial netsmen are required
to comply with, supervised?
6. What numerical limitations are placed on the number of tags
issued to any single commercial net operator and to the total
number of tags issued to all commercial netsmen in any fishing
season?
7. What monitoring of wholesale and retail fish suppliers in Wales
and elsewhere is undertaken to ensure that all wild salmonids on
sale claiming to be of Welsh origin have been obtained from
legitimate sources.
8. What measures/systems/resources are available to NRA staff to
ensure that there is no unlawful taking of salmonids in areas such
as Carmarthen Bay by local vessels or vessels from other areas such
as the south west of England or European ports under the guise of
drift netting for bass.
9. What assurances can be given that salmonids illegally taken from
Welsh waters are not landed in the south west of England or
elsewhere where there is no requirement for carcasses to be
tagged.
10. What monitoring of numbers of fish eating birds in Welsh rivers
is undertaken by NRA staff and why is responsibility for this
activity left to the fragmentary efforts of fishery
owners?
Eifion Jones
Llangadog Angling Ltd