Ben Wilson (NRW) has now replied to Lord Carlile CBE KC

Some extracts, for your information.

'The pressures facing salmon and sea trout in Wales, as with many other freshwater and migratory species, are multiple. These include water quality, habitat degradation and land use, abstraction and many others, including predation. I am in no doubt however that the greatest threat, both currently and in the coming decades, is that of climate change and insidious impacts it has on spawning and growth and survival in both marine and freshwater marine environments'.

'Accepting that the solutions to the climate crisis are not entirely within the gift of NRW, let alone a humble fisheries manager / scientist, what we can, and have to, do is focus on addressing those myriad other pressures as best we can, based on the evidence. Working with others, both within NRW and without, to create cool, clean and climate resilient rivers must be at the heart of that'.

'These pressures and actions are captured in the salmon and sea trout plan of action and we are currently revising that plan to ensure that is focuses on the highest priority and tractable issues. One of the issues raised in the plan is that of avian predation. We have commissioned an independent advisory group to review the evidence and make recommendations'.

Lord Carlile CBE KC requested my comment point for point which I have prepared and sent on to him today.

Difficult as it is to get any sense of reality from NRW and their counterparts in Nature England and Nature Scotland, including Northern Ireland, relative to placing the Goosanders and Cormorants on the 'General Culling Licence' it is imperative that we continue to request it by increasing the pressure on the various establishments.

This needs individual action by you.

As the facts have been laid out and repeated over and over since June 2023, updates will appear on my facebook page and become less frequent now, unless something new develops worthy of reporting on and sharing. 

This latest update pic , Predation continues whilst we all stand by with a licensing scheme unfit for purpose.

Please continue to vote and share the 'Petition', strength is in unity. 

We are at 5922 votes now. United we stand, divided we fall.

Thank you for your continued support.

Gwilym Hughes