MONMOUTH Member of the Senedd (MS) Nick Ramsay has voiced his support for the Black Rock Lave Net Heritage Fishery after Natural Resources Wales ruled their practice is adversely affecting salmon stocks.

Members of the traditional fishery, which has called the banks of the Severn Estuary home for more than 100 years, have raised concerns that catch and release regulations from NRW could lead to the fishery closing.

The Lave Net Fishermen at Black Rock all come from the local villages of Sudbrook, Portskewett and Caldicot and practice a tradition which has been passed down through the generations.

They launched a petition against further restrictions from NRW, instead calling to be allowed to catch 15 salmon per season (June - August), as per their previous agreement.

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At the time of writing, the petition has collected almost 2,000 signatures.

After adding his name to the petition, Mr Ramsay said: “I am a keen supporter of the tradition of lave net fishing, and have signed the petition in the hope that Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Government will review the issue and will allow an exception in this case to permit the Black Rock Lave Net Fishery to continue into the future.

“This is the third petition the fishery has launched in the last 20 years, with earlier petitions being presented to the Welsh Government in 2001 and 2007. I will be doing all I can to support this group of keen local fishermen who wish to preserve their tradition for future generations to enjoy. Further details can be found at blackrocklavenets.co.uk or on their Facebook page.”

You can find out more, or sign the petition at you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-black-rock-lave-net-heritage-fishery