Nice fresh fish yesterday from Bigswier to Geoff Handley.  He also saw several others. He also reported hundreds of mullet above the Florence weir about 10 days ago who appeared to be spawning?

The Severn seems to had had a few fish from Diglis and Tewksbury with one guy Ross James having three on opening day at Diglis
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Came across the below yesterday.  Written five years ago.  Nothing whatsoever has changed in that time in my opinion other than a further crash of the rod catch.  Not sure just how much longer we can carry on like this with so little action from NRW and others.?

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National Assembly for Wales Environment and Sustainability Committee NRW 2015 - 04 Natural Resources Wales - Annual Scrutiny 2015 Response from Geoff Franks - River Wye Gillies Association


I wish to express my views regarding you request as the efficiency of the new NRW WALES. I trust more notice and credence will be given by your committee to the views that I am sure will expressed, especially regarding it’s fishery aspects, than has been done in a recent ‘consulationss’ regarding it’s new anti stocking policy.
 I will keep this short so that I do not lose your attention for too long. The views are my own although I am chairman of the River Wye Gillies Association and have had long standing interactions with EA and currently NRW staff.

 1. This NRW body is in my opinion not fit for purpose.

 2. It is grossly underfunded and has reduced its men on the ground to unacceptable levels.

3. It is not able to carry out it’s fishery enforcement duties to any realistic level and the 0800 response number is a joke.
 4. We do not believe it has enough expertise on the NRW Committee to enable them to oversee, question and examine the information given by its fishery officers or to make informed decisions based on that information

5. As already mentioned it shows scant regard to any evidence submitted in so called consultations and in our/my opinion has often made decisions prior to that consultation.

 6. Engagement with some of its staff has shown them to be, shall we say generously –untrustworthy.

7. It has very little, I could say none at all, respect amongst the everyday anglers on the rivers of Wales.

8. It is failing in its duty to preserve and protect our rivers which should be of huge value to Wales as a whole
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 9. It fails to protect some rivers from too much abstraction and industrial and farming pollution.

10.Closing it’s hatcheries will leave the rivers at severe risk should there be a major fish kill incident.
 A decision based on biased and unsound ‘science’.

 I think I will leave it there as by now you probably have idea of what I think of this new organisation. 45 plus years of working with the old EA and now NRW I do not believe the organisation has ever been in such a state and held in so little regard.

Yours, Geoff Franks Chairman RWGA