Boost for fishing on the RiverTywi

Access has been improved at the River Tywi allowing anglers to continue with some of the best sea trout fishing in Wales.
Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd, a Carmarthenshire County Council-led project aimed at conserving the landscape, environment and heritage of the Towy Valley, has teamed up with Environment Agency Wales and Llangadog Angling Association Ltd for the improvements.
The idea for the path was initiated by the angling club whose members wanted to upgrade the angler’s path which was in a state of disrepair.
Carmarthenshire County Council, as landowners of the area, authorised the path to become a public right of way and to be extended to form a circular walk.
Much of the work was carried out by volunteers from Llanwrda Youth Club and the United Nations.
Environment Agency Wales employed a local contractor, and the county council lent the services of its countryside rangers for the project. Local farmers have also helped the project succeed by allowing the public right of way to cut across the land that they farm.
Historically, the river fishing at Llangadog provides some of the best sewin (sea trout) fishing available in Wales.
The river Tywi is of international renown as an angling destination and visiting anglers contribute a huge amount of revenue to the local economy every year.
Eleri Davies, Landscape Partnership Manager, said: “This development will serve not only to secure the social benefits from general outdoor recreation, but will also encourage and aid the economic benefits from angling and angling tourism in the local area.
“It is exciting to see statutory organisations and voluntary effort working together to bring long term benefit to the community.
“The new path will allow everyone to enjoy the beauty, tranquillity and the variety of different habitats in the Tywi valley.”
The main access path to the lower section of the fishery has been washed away due to natural erosion over recent years, resulting in poor access and limited capacity for anglers.
Dave Mee, Environment Agency Wales fisheries team leader, said: “We are very much aware of the importance of angling and angling tourism to the Welsh rural economy.
“Angling is worth over £100million to Wales annually and we are committed to ensuring that these benefits are maximised. We very much want to encourage people to come and fish in Wales and we are striving, with partners, to ensure that we offer a premium product.
“We receive additional grant aid from the Welsh Assembly Government to support the sustainable development of angling in Wales, and without this additional funding we would be unable to support this type of collaborative project work.
“Working in partnership with Tywi Afon yr Oesoedd and the angling club has worked really well in this case and allowed for an improved recreational opportunity for both local people and visiting anglers alike.”
Eifion Jones, Secretary of Llangadog AA Ltd, added: “The path will improve access to the fishery for all anglers old and new. It also ensures that visiting anglers which are so important for the economy of the area will return on an annual basis thus creating a vibrant tourist industry for the surrounding area.
“Everyone that will access the public footpath will see it in all its natural beauty creating a view point for all the natural habitat in the area on this magnificent Towy river which is so renowned for its Salmon and Sewin.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisations and volunteers who made this project possible ensuring that this area will be access able for future generations to come.”
The Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd project (Tywi a River Through Time), received £1.5million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £557,378 from the Rural Development Plan and support from the Countryside Council for Wales and the National Trust. It is led by Carmarthenshire County Council.

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