26.06.2014


Yn dilyn cydnabyddiaeth Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, Llywodraeth Cymru a Dwr Cymru fod deddf Diogelu'r Amgylchedd (Deddf Ewrop) ddim wedi cael eu gweithrdu fel a ddylir. Mae gorchymun yr Uchel Lys yn gorfodi Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i ail gynnal ymchwiliad i broblemau Llyn Padarn, dyddiad i ystyried y difrod amgylcheddol yw Ebrill 2007 a nid Ebrill 2009 fel y dadleuwyd gan y cyrff uchod.

Pwysigrwydd hyn wrth gwrs yw os yw difrod wedi dechrau cyn Ebrill 2007 ac yn dal i ddigwydd yma rhaid ystyried hyn. Nid yn unig felly carthffos a gweithredoedd Dwr Cymru y dylir ei ystyried ond hefyd gweithreu Gorsaf Bower Dwr Dinorwic sydd wedi amddifadu ein talgylch afonydd o gilomedrau o afonydd claddu - fel Y Bala, Hwch, Peris, Dudodyn a'r holl o Lyn Peris. Mae'r llefydd yma ar goll i'r torgoch . eog a brithyll am byth, felly mae'r niwed i bysgod yn parhau. Mae gennyf rhyw deimlad cryf byth yr awdurdoadau yn dadlau unwaith eto na di hyn yn fater yw gysidro.

Cawn weld be fydd canlyniadau'r archwyliad gan fod adroddiad CNC i fod i gael ei chyhoeddi yn yatod tachwedd eleni.



Following the agreement by Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government and Welsh Water that the Environment Protection Act (European Law) had not been properly adhered too. A High Court order specifies that NRW carry out another investigation into Padarn Lake's problems. The effective date for this investigation is now April 2007 not April 2009 as was the effective date of the original investigation as argued by the above bodies.

The imprtance of the 2007 date is that not only does Welsh Water's activities comes under stricter scrutiny, but continuing damage after 2007 provided is started before that date can now be taken into the investigation. This hopefully bings into the equatiion the operation of the Dinorwi Hydro Plant which has orphaned the catchment of kilometers of important spawning areas on rivers Bala, Hwch,  Peris and Dudodyn together with the whole of Llyn Peris. These areas are still lost to the charr, brown trout and salmon, therefore it's clear that the damage continues. I have a sneeky feeling that they will once again argue that this is not the case.

We shall see where this all goes when the investigation result is published in November this year.


Huw P. Hughes.

10.5.2014.

Stocio Dywarchen nesaf - wythnos dechrau 11.5.14.

Next stocking Dywarchen week beginning 11.05.14.

H

Natural Resources Wales admits unlawful investigation into Llyn Padarn pollution by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

Fish Legal has won major concessions from the regulator in Wales during a Judicial Review of its investigation into environmental damage at Llyn Padarn, a site of special scientific significance (SSSI). On behalf of its member club the Seiont, Gwyrfai and Llyfni Angling Society, Fish Legal took Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to the High Court for failing to investigate Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) properly in accordance with EU law. Late-night negotiations went to the “door of the court” before NRW admitted the full extent of its mistakes and that its earlier decision was unlawful.

An underlying reason for NRW failures was that the Welsh Ministers did not correctly implement EU law into national regulations, which may have implications elsewhere in the UK where similar regulations were made.

Further revelations came to light during the course of the case, including that DCWW has for years been operating an un-permitted discharge that at times will pump untreated sewage into the lake. DCWW had earlier omitted this information from evidence filed at court and refused to accept allegations made by local anglers about this discharge on many occasions years before. However, under the scrutiny of the court process they belatedly confirmed they had found this discharge and that they would apply for an environmental permit, after the Claimant highlighted their omission.

In February 2012, Fish Legal formally notified NRW of damage to the lake under the Environmental Damage Regulations 2009, triggering a 17 month investigation.

The eventual report did identify DCWW as having caused environmental damage to the lake, but failed to assess the full extent of the impact of its activities. Through its judicial review of NRW, Fish Legal has now forced the regulator to admit that it should have taken into account damage arising from a much wider time-period, including damage from ongoing activities that started before the law came into effect but which have caused/will cause damage since then.

This is important because the lake has been contaminated for decades by the discharge of both treated and untreated sewage by DCWW, and NRW must now consider the impact of that ongoing activity. Other ongoing activities at the lake, that cause damage to the char, will also be covered. An example highlighted by the claimant is the dinorwig hydro-power installation (the so called “electric mountain”) that has cut-off access to important char habitat and spawning grounds.

Fish Legal believes this new investigation is likely to show greater damage caused by DCWW activities and other operators to the protected habitat and its rare fish.

Fish Legal has campaigned for better water quality at Llyn Padarn since the 1990s, representing its member club who owns the fishing rights at the lake. Llyn Padarn is a precious glacial lake in North Wales, containing a unique sub-species of arctic char found nowhere else in the world. This species has suffered long-term decline and has now reached such a vulnerable state that it is on the verge of total collapse.

The once pure waters of this Site of Special Scientific Interest (or SSSI) have been contaminated for decades by sewage discharges from DCWW facilities, leading to a toxic algal bloom in 2009.

Huw Hughes, Secretary at the Seiont, Gwyrfai and Llyfni Angling Society, said:

“It's beyond belief that it's taken 22 years of complaining, campaigning and eventually legal processes for the authorities to admit their failiure in regultaing pollution and other activities which have driven the Arctic Char - an iconic Welsh fish which by it's presence highlights our supposedly pristine environment. This fish has been driven onto the edge of extinction by regulatory inactvity.

In light of Fish legal's sterling work we sincerely hope that the urgency required will now be directed into clearing up this mess, and all involved especially Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water will fully cooperate in this operation.

William Rundle, Head Solicitor at Fish Legal, commented:

“It has been an uphill struggle to get the regulator to admit to failures in its investigation. We now hope they will undertake their new investigation quickly and without fear or favor. The situation needs to improve soon if the char are to reverse their trend towards extinction.

He further commented:

“Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is a major polluter throughout Wales and has put significant resources into obstructing our progress in this case. I would expect them to continue to fight the regulator in any new decision even though they could be more proactive in sorting out the impacts their activities have on water quality now. Unfortunately, despite Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Ministers finally accepting we were right and that continuing activities causing damage had to be taken into account, DCWW refused to agree this was the case.”

8. 04 .2014

Daily Post heddiw tudalen 4 Erthygyl Jill Evans Aelod Senedd ewrop yn canolbwyntio ar y torgoch.

Daily Post today page 4 Jill Evans MEP's column highlighting the plight of the Padarn Arctic Char population.

Arwyddwch y ddeiseb / sign th petitio by visiting:-

www.gopetition.com/petitions/achubwch-y-torgoch-save-the-arctic-char-llyn-padarn.html

H.

3.04.2014

Stocio - Dywarchen - Stocking

Stocio cyntaf eleni dydd Gwener 18 Ebrill, yna yn fisol. Mwy o wybodaeth ar y dyddiadau maes o law.

First stocking this year will be Friday 18th. April. then monthly - I'll keep you posted on dates.

H

3.04.2014

Ymgynghoriad CNC/ NRW Consultation

Ddoe yng Nganolfan Beicio Coed y Brenin, Dolgellau cafwyd cyflwyniad gan Swyddogion Cyfoeth Naturol Cymru ar ei ymgynghoriad i gau ei deorfeydd yng Nghymru, heblaw deorfa'r Cynrig yn y canolbarth.

Does dim llawer o ddadl yn y safbwynt y buasai'n well i boblogaeth eogiad a sewin Cymru fod yn hollol naturiol gyda dim magwraeth artiffisial. Mae'r corff eisiau canolbwyntio ar adfer cynefinoedd a rheolaeth gadarn a'r lygredd a thynnu rhwystrau i daith pysgod i'r is-nentydd. Os buasai hyn wedi ei wneud neu ar waith yn barod yna efallai buasai cefnogaeth gref i'w cynnigion. Ond yn anffodus does dim or gwaith adfer bron wedi ei wnneud  a mae llygredd yn dal led led y wlad. Esiampl dda yw ar  Lyn Pdarn a'r Afon seiont pan mae adeiladu gorsaf drydan Dinorwig a arllwysion carthffos i Lyn Padarn wedi achosi i'r torgoch ddiflanu, y brithyll i fod yn ddi nod ar eog ar fin diflanu.

'Esiampl o roi y drol o flaen y ceffyl unwaith eto - neu fwy a thebyg i ardeb arain ar orchymyn ein Cynulliad Cenedlaethol!

                                                                  -----------------------

Yesterday at the Mountain Biking Centre, Coed y Brenin, Dolgallau, Natural Resources Wales officers gave a presentation on their consultation to close all their hatcheries in Wales (bar their Cynrig operation)

In an ideal world the proposal that all salmon and sea trout waters in Wales should be dependant only on wild spawning and to further this habitat restoration, pollution and spawning tributary obstruction should be a priority. If this work was work in progress on a large scale then perhaps there would be wide spread support. However this is not the case - take this area as an example the construction of the Dinorwic Power Station ans decades of sewerage pollution had reduced Llyn Padarn and the River Seiont into a seriously at risk fishery. The char - an iconic welsh fish has been allowed to slip almost into oblivion.

This is an ideal example of placing the cart before the horse once again,  However the likelyhood is that this is merely a cost cutting exercise ordered by their funders the Welsh Assembly Government.

Huw

1.04.2014


Yn dilyn nifer o ymholiadau ynglyn ar cais am a Adolygiad Barnwrol ynglyn a materion yn cyfeiro at Llyn Padarn. Mae dyddiad y gwrandawiad llys wedi ei benodi fel 1-2 Mai eleni. Nid yw'r lleoliad wedi ei gyhoeddi eto.

Following numerous enquiries re the application for a Judicial Review re matters appertaining to Llyn Padarn. date of the hearing has been set as 1-2 May 2014. Venue not yet decided. Defendants are Natural Rescourses Wales. Welsh Assembly Government and Welsh Water/Dwr Cymru

14. 3 .2014

Ni fydd pysgota LLwyn Impia, Pont y Cim, Pontlyfni ar gael i aelodau eleni. Gweler wedi ei farcio mewn glas ar y map.

Llwyn Impia fishing on the Llyfni will not be available to members this season. Please see area marked blue on map.

H

6.3.2014

Cynhelir cyfarfod yfory 7/3 yn Mynydd Gwefru, Llanberis i drafod dogfen Adfywio Pysgodfeydd Padarn ar Seiont.

Ddoe Mercher 5/3 tua 3.00 y prynhawn 'roedd lliw llwyd/wyrdd ofnadwy ar yr Seiont, rhyw arllwysiad yn dod i lawr y Caledffrwd o gyffianiau Deiniolen, Achosi problem i lawr am Gaernarfon. Methwyd a darganfod yn bendant o ble 'roedd yn dod. Ffoniwch 0800 807060  os tystiwch ddigwyddiad or fath.

Meeting arranged for tomorrow 7/3 to discuss the Restoration of the Seiont & Padarn Fisheries document.

Yesterday 5/3 at about 3.00pm there was another serious discolouration of the Seiont down towards Caernarfon- coming from the Caledffrwd - Deioniolen area. We unable to trace the source. Phone 0800 807060 ASAP if you see something lioke this

H

3.03.2014

Dechrau tymor arall, 'roedd ond rhyw ychydig wedi rhoi tro arni, 'roedd yn sych ond eithriadol o oer,  Heb glywed am ddim i weld wedi dod i'r rhwyd. Dim pryfetch i weld ar y gwyneb chwaith

Edrychwch ar y galeri am luniau o fynediad mwy hwylus i lawr y Finiog (Crawia)

Start of another season, a few were out giving it a go. It was very sunny but really cold - no report of anything coming to the net. No fly life to be seen.

Take a look at Gallery to view the new gates down Crawia.

Huw