In November, heavy and persistent rainfall resulted in wide spread flooding across Ynys Mon, causing damage to roads, footpaths, structures and properties. 

Emergency works were undertaken by local authority officers at the time to ensure the safety of residents. A number of residents in Llangefni were evacuated from their homes and work is still ongoing to repair the damage. 

The council contacted the Welsh Government requesting emergency funding to assist with clean-up efforts and emergency repairs.

Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Alun Davies, said,

“I am pleased we have been able to provide this support to the Isle of Anglesey County Council to help assist with repair costs caused by these unique weather conditions.” 

The worst effected area was the A545 between Menai and Beaumaris which suffered a landslip when the deluge of water caused the bank retaining the highway along the Menai Straits to be washed away. The volume of water resulted in further damage to bridge parapet in Brynsiencyn and retaining walls along the A5025.

At numerous locations across the island, surface water drainage was damaged, requiring substantial repairs to reduce the risk of further flooding to properties. 

“This is a significant milestone for the World Heritage Site, reflecting a culmination of two years of work with partners and the local community. Over 600,000 people visited the monuments last year, contributing over £30m to the local economy. The new plan is a platform to ensure the status of the site is protected, and to ensure that these spectacular monuments bring real benefits to the communities they sit in.

“A key strand of the vision aims to encourage greater awareness and understanding of the World Heritage Site, to help people value and appreciate these special places even more. We’re therefore delighted to have worked with young people on this project– as the main objective is to safeguard and protect these important monuments for future generations.”

Carl Russell Owen of Frân Wen added: 

“The young people involved in the project have gained important skills in helping plan, script, edit and prepare the films, which will become useful for them in their future studies and job roles.

Hosting the event in the new, CARN community arts-based venue, funded through the Gwynedd Council and Arts Council for Wales’s STAMP project, within the shadows of the Caernarfon town walls shows how communities can look to regenerate such places in creativeand innovative ways.”

The EU Exit scenario report has been published by the Cabinet Secretary’s Brexit Roundtable Stakeholder Group.  The group was set up following the referendum result to provide a forum for engagement and collaboration between the Welsh Government and its key stakeholders across the portfolio in planning for Brexit.

Over a number of months, a sub-group examined a number of different Brexit scenarios to identify the possible impacts on the sectors.  In its report, five scenarios were developed, including defaulting to WTO terms, an EU-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and complete access to the single market with new FTAs with third countries.

The report summarises the key findings of the work, which was developed with stakeholders across all of the sectors.

Key findings across the scenarios include:

• Opportunities arise for some sectors in some scenarios, but not in all.
• Food prices increase to some degree across all scenarios, particularly influenced by import tariffs, non-tariff barriers and higher labour costs.
• The potential impacts for Welsh fishing vary from collapse under WTO tariffs to no change if the trading arrangements with the EU remain unchanged.
• The importance of investing in ‘added value’ is a theme across all scenarios and with all sectors.
• The sheep sector faces severe challenges as it relies on export to balance seasonal production and to achieve carcass balance. The pressures from geographical constraints and workforce availability in abattoirs and processing mean lamb markets are likely to struggle in all scenarios. 
• The dairy and poultry sectors are most robust because of their focus on UK internal markets and lower reliance on export.  Beef remains viable with a buoyant dairy industry to supply calves, with a better carcass balance and a lower dependency on export. 
• The Welsh environment sector remains a potential growth area in term of eco-tourism through landscapes and seascape. It is rich in natural capital but investment is needed to develop new markets and to develop the skills the sector needs.
• Government funding significantly impacts the rate of change but not the eventual outcome. For many of the most severely impacted sectors funding is unlikely to be able to prevent the impacts but it could help to facilitate change. 
• Without Government transitional support, in scenarios of big change, specific sectors may collapse quickly which will have wider consequences on community health and well-being.
• Both farming and fishing businesses in Wales need to improve productivity and efficiency, and consider other income streams to stay viable. This will require improved business skills and investment in infrastructure. 
• The challenges and opportunities of Brexit will be different for each agricultural, fishing, forestry or food business. Mechanisms to support businesses to make the right decisions need to be put in place.  

Cabinet Secretary said:  

“I welcome the publication of this EU Exit scenario report and would like to thank the stakeholders for all their hard work.  My Brexit Roundtable Group is a key forum where we engage and work closely with key stakeholders across my portfolio to support a collective approach to Brexit in Wales.

“Leaving the EU brings a high degree of uncertainty, and poses both risks and opportunities across sectors including food, fisheries, farming, forestry and the environment.   However, accurately predicting the impacts of Brexit is incredibly difficult.

“The Group has therefore considered a number of scenarios to explore the impact directly on key sectors and between the sectors to enable us to also consider potential wider impacts on our communities and our environment.

“Whilst today’s report makes for stark reading it will be an important resource for us as a government, as well as the sectors themselves, to inform our collective preparations for a successful future outside the EU.”  

A number of prosecutions for illegal fishing activity have been made since January for matters including fishing in a closed area, non submission of statutory information, and illegal cockle and whelk fishing.

The seas around Wales are blessed with a variety of nationally and internationally important species and habitats, protected under European, Welsh and UK law. These natural resources and the services they provide are crucial in helping our coastal communities thrive through fishing and tourism, as well as having important cultural significance.

Unfettered exploitation of resources can lead to unsustainable practices which can result in damage and degradation. That is why the Welsh Government closely regulates fishing, and other activities, in Welsh marine waters. Using a number of assets – including fisheries patrol vessels – Welsh Government marine enforcement officers actively enforce and seek compliance with a wide range of regulations at sea and onshore.

Prosecutions under fisheries legislation in Wales are taken in the name of the Counsel General.

Jeremy Miles said,

“Illegal fishing is damaging to the angling industry, which is worth more than £150m to the Welsh economy. Unrestrained exploitation of resources can lead to unsustainable practices which can degrade fishing stocks and cause damage to local economies. 

“Where there is sufficient evidence against those who flout the law, we must take action to protect our seas and wider fishing industry. These latest convictions show that anyone breaking the laws, whether off shore or in the intertidal areas should expect to face prosecution and potentially severe penalties.

“It’s important that we continue to crack down on illegal activity so that it remains sustainable for licensed fisherman.”

The team at RibRide have set themselves a speed challenge to celebrate the ‘Year of the Sea’. A RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) has been designed and specified for speed at sea. The RIB is named ‘Velocity’.

Skipper Phil Scott, owner of RibRide Adventure Tours, said:

“Adding to our fleet of RIB’s was an idea that sparked with the team. We could design a RIB which was fast, and I mean super-fast, to become the fastest passenger RIB in the world. We could design and build it in the UK and run it here in Wales.”

“Wales has the fastest Zip line in the world at Zip World, Bethesda called ‘Velocity’. Our friends at Zip World were enthusiastic about us using the same name for the fastest RIB in the world. Through this cooperation we are helping to build North Wales as a highly attractive proposition for the travel savvy adventure tourist.”

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this innovative venture through our funding and that this development will continue to put north Wales on the map as an adventure destination.  The Year of the Sea is our opportunity for Wales to make its mark as the UK’s top 21st century coastal destination by promoting our world-class products, activities, events and experiences – ‘Velocity’ will be another attraction over the summer.”

“We are working to build the fastest passenger RIB in the world. We hope we can claim a number of new world records. It’s great that we can share this excitement with passengers and our RibRiders will be a part of this challenge. ‘Velocity’ will travel to the speed of scream in 30 seconds. Our expert and highly trained Skippers will take you on two measured proving trips before the final and fastest run of the day is made, taking you to optimum ‘Velocity’.”