The below is not particularly new news from NRW but might be worth looking at again in view of the recent WUF meeting.



Fall in salmon fry numbers

Each year NRW carries out a programme of fisheries monitoring to record the distribution and abundance of fish – notably juvenile salmon and trout – in many of our rivers.

This year our initial fisheries surveys on the rivers, Clwyd, Usk and Tywi have demonstrated a very concerning and unprecedented decline in the abundance of salmon fry in sites where they have always been present:

• In the Tywi catchment our survey has shown salmon fry to be absent from 27 of the 31 sites monitored (they were present in 28 of these sites during the last survey).
• On the Usk, our survey showed salmon fry to be absent in 8 of the 12 sites where they are usually present in good numbers. There were no fry at all at another 9 sites surveyed for eel.
• On the Clwyd 5 sites were fished and although these have always had good numbers of fry, none were found this year. 

Surveys on other rivers, including the Wye, Tawe and Glaslyn have found normal numbers of fry.
Our experienced fish survey staff report that these findings are unprecedented over the period of 30 years since fisheries monitoring commenced.

What is the current position?

At this stage it is important that we complete the survey programme to build a picture of the status of fish populations across Wales.  While this is underway we are consulting with the Environment Agency on the position in England and with Welsh Government, and we are also discussing the results and their potential cause and implications, with Cefas (fisheries advisors to the UK Government). We are examining river flow and temperature data and considering other factors that might be implicated.
We also assess salmon stocks each year by comparing estimated egg deposition with catchment targets.  We note that, although adult salmon stocks in 21 of our 23 principal salmon rivers are currently assessed as ‘At Risk’ (including the Clwyd and Tywi) or ‘Probably at Risk’ (including the Usk) of failing to meet their spawning targets, estimated egg depositions in 2015 were broadly unexceptional.
There is also some evidence, notably for the Clwyd, that trout fry populations are also much lower than in recent years.

What are the possible reasons?

It is too early to be clear what has caused the severe lack of fry in the three rivers highlighted here.  We have considered a possible failure of fish to disperse to spawning tributaries, possibly due to flow, and the potential for disease or pollution to be the causative factor, however it is far too early be certain.  However we also note that December 2015 was the hottest December on record and consequently we are assessing water temperature records.

What can fishermen do?

Whilst we complete our monitoring programme and further investigate the reasons for the collapse in fry numbers, it is important that all those involved with fisheries do what they can to help maximise the number of fish spawn this autumn/winter and in subsequent years.
It is now more important than ever that anglers return all their fish to maximise the numbers that can spawn, and that the fishing methods used ensure that released fish have the best chance of survival by considering:

• De-barbing the hooks so that fish can be released more easily and quickly
• Not removing the fish from the water whilst unhooking. This is one of the key ways to improve survival. Keeping a fish in the air for 30-60 seconds literally halves their chance of survival.
• Not using treble hooks - especially flying C type lures
• Not using bait.

Conclusion

These results are unprecedented and appear to be evident in some, but not all, rivers across Wales.
We will complete our monitoring programme, whilst we continue to investigate the causes and seek a remedy.
In the meantime it is crucial as many salmon as possible spawn this year. We are appealing to anglers to put all the salmon they catch back, and to try to influence others to do the same.  There simply aren’t enough fish spawning to sustain stocks.
Catch and Release guidelines can be found on the Wye and Usk Foundation web site

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Also the current state of NRW - as though we didn't know.  Not fit for purpose.

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Natural Resources Wales' culture 'not in a good place'

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The culture of Wales' environmental body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is "not in a good place", its chairwoman has said.

Diane McCrea was questioned by AMs about poor staff survey results that suggested only 10% felt it was well managed.
One Labour AM, Newport West's Jayne Bryant, called the results "devastating" and "shocking".
Ms McCrea said she could not guarantee that "it will get better by next year".
She and chief executive Emyr Roberts from NRW, which has seen budget and staff cuts in recent years, gave evidence to the assembly's climate change committee on Wednesday.

Just 11% of workers who answered the 2016 NRW survey said they had confidence in senior managers' decisions.

'Major issue'

Ms McCrea said: "It's very clear to us that the culture of the organisation is not in a good place.
"We need to put a major emphasis addressing where we're going in the future, looking at the strategy, ensuring that the people who work for us understand why there's so much change, while its impacting on their job, and what the ultimate goal and direction of travel is."
But she added that matters would not improve "overnight," telling AMs: "It won't be easy. I sincerely hope there will be some changes next year, because we're committed to undertaking the... survey next year.
"But I can't guarantee that it will all be better by next year. Anyone whose been involved in major cultural change within complex organisations knows how difficult that is."

Jenny Rathbone, Labour AM for Cardiff Central, told the two senior officers that they would "both be dead meat by now" if they had been in the private sector.
"It just feels like the organisation is drifting whilst the staff really do not have a clear idea of what is expected of them," she said.
Ms Bryant told the committee she had heard anecdotal evidence that morale within the organisation was at "rock bottom".
Mark Reckless, committee chairman, added that he and his colleagues would expect to see "significant improvements" in "incredibly low levels of support" listed in the survey within a year "because they are so low".
Mr Roberts said he had a "very clear picture of what staff are saying to us" and said the organisation was "actively addressing these issues".
"But it is true to say we had to take some very unpopular decisions," he said. "We had to withdraw lease cars from a quarter of the staff which is a very unpopular move. We've had to withdraw some allowances for instance.
"Change is painful."

Image caption Emyr Roberts said NRW had suffered a 15% real terms cut over the last two years

NRW suffered a seven per cent (£6m) cut to its budget for 2016-17, on top of a 3% cut the year before.
During the current financial year the organisation has cut back on operational budgets by 10%, reducing posts through a voluntary redundancy scheme and changing the services it offers.
The redundancy scheme, which reduced the headcount by 100, has cost £4.7m.
"Having had a 15% real terms cut over the last two years, I think we were very concerned about going forward," said Mr Roberts.
The organisation is to receive a "cash flat" revenue settlement for 2017-18, he said, which gives NRW some "breathing space" to make sure services are "sufficiently resourced".
He added he was concerned by comments by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford to other public sector bodies to "use this time wisely because further cuts are probably on their way afterwards".
"We have to take account of that," he said.
NRW was set-up in 2013 as a merger of the Environment Agency, Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission.