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Farming Today: 21/04/23 Fishermen's health checks; Welsh shellfish industry; River pollution; company rewilding project

21/04/23 Fishermen's health checks; Welsh shellfish industry; River pollution; company rewilding project

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 21/04/23 Fishermen's health checks; Welsh shellfish industry; River pollution; company rewilding project

Fishermen health checks; shellfish; farmer jailed for river pollution; company rewilding.

Compulsory health checks for fishermen. Shellfish industry in Welsh communities. Farmer jailed for river pollution. Company's rewilding project.

From November all fishermen will have to get a medical fitness certificate to continue fishing, even those on boats that are under 10 metres long. The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations says livelihoods will be lost and that fishermen will have to prove a higher standard of fitness than ambulance and HGV drivers. The government says the certificates are required by international law and aim to save lives.  

The West Wales coastline has been well known for its shellfish and traditional fishing pots since the 19th century, and many boats have been passed down through families, but there now seems to be a shortage of the next generation of shell fishers. We visit Solva in Pembrokeshire to find out more.

A Herefordshire farmer has been sentenced to a year in prison for what the judge described as ‘ecological vandalism on an industrial scale’ of the River Lugg. The river, a site of special scientific interest, was dredged, woodland cut down and the banks flattened destroying otter, kingsfisher and salmon habitats. Natural England and the Enviroment Agency welcomed the sentence and said the damage was the worst case of riverside destruction they’d ever seen. John Price admitted seven charges of damaging a stretch of the River Lugg in Herefordshire, including failing to stop pollution entering the water. 

All this week we're talking about our land - who owns it, what they're doing with it, and how that's changing. One idea that's taken hold is for polluting companies to pay for trees to be planted in their name - to 'offset' their carbon footprint.  One Somerset removals company has gone a step further: they've bought land which they're rewilding with native trees.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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21/04/23 Fishermen's health checks; Welsh shellfish industry; River pollution; company rewilding project

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