WELSH salmon stocks on the River Usk are facing an uncertain future after an investigation from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) discovered lower levels of fish fry.

Routine monitoring by NRW officers revealed the numbers of young salmon hatched in the spring of 2016 are at critically low levels on the Usk, with eight sites showing no salmon at all.

Five other sites of the 13 tested showed very low levels of fry, although levels on the nearby River Wye revealed normal levels.

Peter Gough, the principal fisheries advisor at NRW, said: “These initial survey results are unprecedented in Wales in 30 years of monitoring and are clearly very concerning, especially as our salmon and sea trout stocks already face challenges.

“The decline in fry numbers will not only harm the biodiversity of our rivers but could also have an economic impact on the angling and tourism sector.”

Mr Gough added that further investigations would be ongoing to help establish the causes of the shortage, and ensure the maximum number of fish are able to spawn in the winter.

Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith, the chief executive of Afonydd Cymru, (the association of rivers trusts in Wales) added: “It’s important to understand that this finding by NRW will not immediately impact on returning salmon and sea trout numbers but will be evident in two to four years’ time.”

”It is crucial that NRW, the Rivers Trusts and Welsh Government get together to press forward a recovery programme for this valuable resource as well as a full investigation into the cause and effects.”