Tywi River Pollution Kills Fish and Threatens 300-Year Tradition
Welsh coracle fishers warn the River Tywi in Carmarthenshire is severely polluted after catching only one fish during a three-month season.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Centuries-old coracle fishing tradition on the River Tywi in Wales faces extinction from severe pollution.
- Save the River Tywi campaign group tests reveal industrial, agricultural, and human waste contamination.
- Fifth-generation fisher reports catching just a single fish during the May to July season.
- Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirms ongoing compliance and enforcement investigations.
The historic River Tywi in Wales, once thriving with aquatic life and supporting generations of local fishers, is facing an unprecedented ecological crisis as severe pollution leaves sections virtually devoid of fish. Testing conducted by the campaign group Save the River Tywi has uncovered alarming evidence of industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and human sewage contaminating the waterway.
Keith Elias, a fifth-generation coracle fisherman whose family has operated on the river for 300 years, described the situation in Carmarthenshire as dire after managing to land only one fish during the entire three-month fishing season between May and July. Andrew Davies, another local fisher, echoed these concerns, stating that dead fish are frequently seen bobbing in the water and declaring that there is no life left in the river.
"I think something needs to be done to clean the rivers up in Wales, people have been dodging the bullet."
Andrew Davies
The traditional practice of coracle fishing involves using small, rounded watercraft and nets stretched between them at night to catch salmon and sewin, or sea trout. Once a vital livelihood in west Wales, the activity has largely transitioned into a cherished heritage custom. Even former US President Jimmy Carter was famously fond of fishing in these Welsh rivers, but local fishers warn that modern contamination has rendered the practice nearly impossible.
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Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
River pollution across the UK frequently stems from a combination of agricultural runoff, inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, and storm overflows discharging untreated sewage. For instance, the nearby River Teifi recorded thousands of pollution spills in 2024 alone, highlighting systemic environmental pressures facing Welsh waterways and underscoring the complex challenges regulators face in holding polluters accountable.
Russell Sparks, the Mayor of Carmarthen, noted that the river is in an extremely difficult position, with foul odors arising from a destructive cycle of pollutants and algae blooms. The pollution crisis forced the cancellation of the annual Tywi River Festival in July, leaving local residents heartbroken as the historic Admiral of the Port role held by the mayor risks witnessing the end of coracle fishing altogether.
Welsh Water stated it is investing £889. million into storm overflow upgrades between 2025 and 2030, including six specific projects aimed at protecting the Tywi. Meanwhile, local residents have shared footage online showing yellow discharges linked to Mekatek, a nearby electronics recycling company. Mekatek stated it holds a discharge licence from NRW, shares concerns over declining sewin numbers, and maintains that its operations do not contribute to the drop, inviting the public to inspect its facilities.
Huwel Manley, head of south-west operations for Natural Resources Wales, emphasized that the agency takes all pollution reports seriously and is actively pursuing multiple compliance investigations within the Tywi catchment, with several cases advancing toward court proceedings.
Source: BBC Science & Environment
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