ANGLERS throughout Wales are again urgently being asked to help conserve fish stocks by releasing all the salmon they catch in 2017.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has made the request as the number of salmon in Welsh rivers – including the River Teifi - continues to give cause for serious concern.

Earlier this year, the Teifi Coracle Netsman’s Association agreed to voluntarily release all salmon caught during the 2017 season but now NRW has renewed its appeal and wants all salmon caught by anglers on the Teifi released.

Dave Mee, senior fisheries advisor for NRW, said: “The salmon is an important part of our environment and our culture in Wales, so it is essential we do all we can to help preserve as many fish as possible.

“We would like to see anglers and netsmen voluntarily release all the salmon and more of the sea trout they catch to ensure more fish survive to migrate upstream to spawn and produce juvenile fish to help boost stocks.”

Fish stocks in 23 salmon rivers and 33 sea trout rivers are assessed annually in Wales and placed in categories according to their risk of failing to achieve important stock targets.

The assessments for 2016 showed that all but two of the 23 salmon rivers (Severn and Usk) were failing to reach their management target and are either ‘at risk’ or ‘probably at risk’. For sea trout, 16 of the 33 rivers assessed were in a similar poor.

The Teifi Trout Association, which owns the fishing rights for long stretches on the Teifi, is to meet AM Elin Jones on Thursday (June 29) to discuss the situation.

Mr Mee added: “Most anglers are already voluntarily releasing the fish they catch but we feel the situation is now so serious for salmon that we must ask all anglers to release all of their salmon.

“We are considering further regulation and have been actively engaging with anglers and other interested parties to help encourage greater voluntary efforts.”

To give fish the best chance of survival, NRW says it is important that fish are handled with the utmost care and released as quickly and as carefully as possible.

Anglers can help by using barbless single or double hooks, playing the fish quickly, keeping it in the water at all times and supporting the fish facing into the current until it is strong enough to swim away. Methods such as the use of worm and treble hooks is being discouraged.