00:00Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Climate on pollution in the River Wye.
00:06We've had quite significant developments in the last week or so from a group who've applied
00:12for bathing status for a portion of the River Wye, which has been refused by the Welsh Government.
00:19There is a significant degree of irony in that the reason it's been refused is in order
00:25to protect biodiversity and the area from significant, perhaps, overcrowding, and yet
00:34the water remains significantly polluted and people, like me, are still swimming in it.
00:42So, I just wonder if there's an opportunity to bring people together in order to discuss
00:49the issues in the River Wye and the application for bathing status and to see whether we can
00:55move forward to make the waters cleaner for not just myself but other bathers who venture
01:01into the river.
01:02Diolch yn fawr iawn.
01:03Jane Dodds AM.
01:04Diolch yn fawr iawn, Jane Dodds, and I think you probably are referring to the part of
01:10the River Wye which is named the Warren, where, of course, very much, as you said, it's a
01:17difficult challenge, isn't it, as a site of special scientific interest, a special area
01:21of conservation, and the impact of swimming, canoeing, walkingóthe impacts have to be
01:32assessed and granted consent by NRW.
01:36So, I mean, I think my understanding is that it's not been designated for bathing water
01:45in this bathing season, but it will be considered for designation in the future.
01:50But I think the Cabinet Secretary, I'm sure, for Climate Change and Rural Affairs will
01:55want to respond to your suggestion, your proposal, that people could be brought together to look
02:02at these interacting needs of that wonderful part of Wales, which you cherish and we cherish,
02:10of course, as a site of special scientific interest but also a site where swimming particularly
02:18is cherished and valued.
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