Salmon stocking proposals

A review is underway of salmon stocking in Welsh rivers. Natural Resources Wales is consulting on proposals to close three of its hatcheries, while a fourth would become a research centre. NRW wants to focus on improving habitats but the owner of Wales' largest private hatchery says that could lead to mandatory catch and release for anglers.

Every year Welsh rivers are stocked with hundreds of thousands of fish - a practice that has been common-place for decades, but now the future of rearing and stocking salmon is under review. Natural Resources Wales is consulting on closing three of its hatcheries at Maerdy, Mawddach and Clywedog and converting a fourth at Cynrig near Brecon into a freshwater fisheries research centre. The organisation says there's evidence to suggest the current practice is not effective. Charlotte Dubenskij reports..