Coracle fishermen on the River Tywi in Carmarthenshire say pollution has decimated fish stocks, threatening the future of a fishing tradition dating back 300 years. Testing by the campaign group Save the River Tywi found evidence of industrial, agricultural and human waste pollution in the water, with fishermen reporting they now regularly find dead fish floating rather than live catches, and Natural Resources Wales confirming it has ongoing enforcement investigations in the Tywi catchment.

Fishermen described the 2026 season, which ran from May to July, as "dire" and "a write-off": Andrew Davies, chairman of the Carmarthen Coracle and Netsman Association, said the four coracle fishermen on the river caught just 12 fish between them all season, compared with catching that many in a single night a few years ago, while Keith Elias, whose family has fished the river for 300 years, caught only one fish. The nearby River Teifi was named one of the UK's most polluted rivers last year, with over 2,232 spills lasting more than 22,000 hours recorded in 2024; Welsh Water said it is investing £889m in storm overflow improvements between 2025 and 2030, while electronics recycling firm Mekatek, named by locals over discharge videos, said it holds a valid discharge licence and denied being a factor in the decline.