Welsh Government Announces Confirmation of Conservation Byelaws

Richard Wald and Gethin Thomas successfully represented Natural Resources Wales in a four week Inquiry, which was conducted to scrutinise the proposed Wales Rod and Line (Salmon and Sea Trout) Byelaws 2017 and the Wales Net Fishing (Salmon and Sea Trout) Byelaws 2017. The Byelaws proposed stricter regulation of fisheries and in particular a ban on catch and kill fishing for salmon and sea trout for a period of 10 years, in order to address the severe decline in stocks of these species in Welsh rivers.

On 16 July 2019, the Welsh Government announced, following the Inspector's recommendations, that it would confirm the Byelaws. The Inspector concluded that the Byelaws were necessary, proportionate and reasonable in view of the decline of salmon and sea trout stocks throughout Wales.

They were instructed by BDB Pitmans, on behalf of Natural Resources Wales.

The Inspector's Report, and the statement of Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, are available online here.