Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid’s Westminster candidate for Llanelli Myfanwy Davies have been left feeling reassured following a positive meeting with Dwr Cymru. Senior Management from Dwr Cymru met with both Helen Mary and Myfanwy to discuss the ongoing issues in Llanelli with regards to water quality and flooding.
During the meeting, Dwr Cymru gave their commitment that they will continue to do everything that they can to ensure that the issue will be resolved. Even though the water quality has improved, it is still unclear what is causing the mass cockle deaths which is affecting the livelihoods of many local fishermen and cockle pickers in the area.
Both Helen Mary and Myfanwy has been very concerned about the worrying possibility that cockle beds in the Burry Estuary may continue to die this year – a situation that would cause devastation to the local industry.
Plaid's Helen Mary Jones said:
“I was pleased after the meeting that the Senior Manager from Welsh Water were taking the issues with regards to water quality and flooding in Llanelli very seriously. It is disappointing that Ofwat’s interference means that some of the planned investment will now not be met, but I do have some confidence that working together with the other appropriate agencies, Dwr Cymru will make what progress they can on these issues. They have committed to keeping myself and Myfanwy informed on progress, and we will certainly be keeping a very close eye on developments as they move forward.”
Myfanwy added:
"I’m very pleased that Senior Managers from Welsh Water were able to come and have a wide ranging discussion with us. We touched on a number of issues to do with the Estuary and also flooding within the area. I’m particularly pleased that they were able to make an unequivocal commitment that they would do what had to be done to ensure that Dwr Cymru is not contributing to the cockle deaths. I think that this is an important commitment for cockle fishermen in Llanelli and for other people who are reliant on the industry.”
Showing posts with label cockles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cockles. Show all posts
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Monday, 29 June 2009
Myfanwy and Jill Evans MEP fight for answers on cockle-deaths and flooding in Europe
Following a request by Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate, Plaid MEP Jill Evans will meet with representatives of the European Commission on Wednesday (1st July). Recent figures show that cockles are continuing to die in large numbers putting the future of Llanelli’s cockle industry at risk. Last week a packed meeting called by a National Assembly Committee also heard accounts by people across Llanelli who had been victims of flooding.
Myfanwy is concerned that the existing flooding problem is being made considerably worse by the effects of more extreme weather but also by insufficient attention given by government agencies to the impact of some large-scale housing developments on draining surface water and on over-used sewage facilities.
Myfanwy has recently backed calls for independent scientific research to explore the reasons for the cockle deaths so that action can be taken while there is still a fishery to protect.
Ms. Evans will question the representatives of the Commission on where responsibility lies for calling for environmental impact assessments to assess the full impact developments will have on our environment. She will also ask officials about potential sanctions where for organisations have not called for these assessments where risks to the environment such as flooding have followed. Ms Evans will also request details of investigations into events similar to the cockle deaths elsewhere in Europe and will ask for these reports to be made available to Welsh scientists, cockle pickers and campaigners.
Ms. Evans said:
“Flooding in Llanelli is becoming much more severe and more frequent. This is partly due to the more extreme weather but it is a cause for concern that many new developments in the area that involve concreting over land that would drain water have not been subject to proper environmental impact assessments. I am not against new houses where they are affordable and needed, but we must make sure that new developments are properly assessed and that sensible measures are built into them to allow water to drain and to prevent flooding elsewhere”.
“I have been supporting the fishermen’s campaign to find out what is killing the cockles for a number of years. It is sad and frustrating that we are no nearer to getting real answers while the fishery risks being destroyed. There is no substitute for rigourous scientific research into this, and I will use my meeting with the representatives of the Commission to gather evidence on similar events in other places.”
Myfanwy said:
“I am delighted that Jill Evans has been able to organize a meeting with representative of the Commission so quickly. Our communities are suffering from severe flooding on a much more regular basis than was previously the case. The Assembly’s meeting last Friday confirmed to me the importance of making sure that new developments along the estuary do not effect flooding elsewhere. Jill Evans is also intending to raise the issue of the cockle deaths. We urgently need to know what is killing the cockles so that we can act to preserve the fishery and the livelihoods that depend on it.”
Myfanwy is concerned that the existing flooding problem is being made considerably worse by the effects of more extreme weather but also by insufficient attention given by government agencies to the impact of some large-scale housing developments on draining surface water and on over-used sewage facilities.
Myfanwy has recently backed calls for independent scientific research to explore the reasons for the cockle deaths so that action can be taken while there is still a fishery to protect.
Ms. Evans will question the representatives of the Commission on where responsibility lies for calling for environmental impact assessments to assess the full impact developments will have on our environment. She will also ask officials about potential sanctions where for organisations have not called for these assessments where risks to the environment such as flooding have followed. Ms Evans will also request details of investigations into events similar to the cockle deaths elsewhere in Europe and will ask for these reports to be made available to Welsh scientists, cockle pickers and campaigners.
Ms. Evans said:
“Flooding in Llanelli is becoming much more severe and more frequent. This is partly due to the more extreme weather but it is a cause for concern that many new developments in the area that involve concreting over land that would drain water have not been subject to proper environmental impact assessments. I am not against new houses where they are affordable and needed, but we must make sure that new developments are properly assessed and that sensible measures are built into them to allow water to drain and to prevent flooding elsewhere”.
“I have been supporting the fishermen’s campaign to find out what is killing the cockles for a number of years. It is sad and frustrating that we are no nearer to getting real answers while the fishery risks being destroyed. There is no substitute for rigourous scientific research into this, and I will use my meeting with the representatives of the Commission to gather evidence on similar events in other places.”
Myfanwy said:
“I am delighted that Jill Evans has been able to organize a meeting with representative of the Commission so quickly. Our communities are suffering from severe flooding on a much more regular basis than was previously the case. The Assembly’s meeting last Friday confirmed to me the importance of making sure that new developments along the estuary do not effect flooding elsewhere. Jill Evans is also intending to raise the issue of the cockle deaths. We urgently need to know what is killing the cockles so that we can act to preserve the fishery and the livelihoods that depend on it.”
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