Wild Atlantic salmon could disappear from Welsh rivers within the next two decades due to manmade barriers, Natural Resources Wales has warned. Welsh rivers have seen a 70% loss of wild Atlantic salmon in the last 25 years.
In response to this, and the decline of Wales' wildlife today, Welsh Government Minister for Climate Change Julie James has announced a £10 million investment to help preserve and protect wildlife in Welsh seas, forests and disappearing grasslands. The Minister named nine new projects that will benefit from the latest round of Nature Networks funding.
Wild Atlantic salmon returns to the river they were born just once in a lifetime to spawn. To do so, they set off across high seas and swim against currents as they mission upstream. But now, the ancient fish is met with man-made barriers, like dams, that trap them in lower areas of the river.
