My family have fished this river for 300 years - now pollution has killed all the fish

For over 300 years, generations of families have fished the River Tywi in Wales using traditional coracles. However, pollution has now rendered the once-prosperous tradition almost extinct. Testing by Save the River Tywi revealed evidence of industrial, agricultural, and human waste pollution in the water, with fishermen frequently spotting dead fish.

One fifth-generation fisherman described the situation as dire, having caught only one fish during the entire three-month season from May to July. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) acknowledges the reports of pollution and is conducting enforcement and compliance investigations across the Tywi catchment. The tradition of coracle fishing, usually done at night, has been a significant livelihood in west Wales, but recent pollution has made it nearly impossible for fishers to catch fish.

One man, who's family has been fishing on the river for 300 years, only managed to catch one fish this season out of the four fishing licenses taken out this year. The river's decline has left locals devastated, with the annual Tywi River Festival cancelled due to the pollution. Despite Welsh Water's investment in reducing their impact on the Tywi, the company insists that their actions alone are insufficient to address the issue, emphasizing the need for collaboration across sectors to improve river water quality.