Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:35 pm on 28 September 2022.
Thank you for that, Minister. That's reassuring. The fishing and angling sector is an important part of the economy in rural Wales. River fishing alone contributes around £20 million a year to the economy, and supports around 700 jobs. On top of that, the additional tourism that our waters pull in provides benefit for local areas.
Fishing is also a popular hobby for many people, getting them outdoors and providing opportunities for socialising. But the sector is under real pressure, such as the recent fishing ban across Wales due to the drought—that's put immense pressure on them. Now, whilst there have been some welcome initiatives to promote the Welsh fishing sector, such as the Fishing in Wales website, former world champion angler Hywel Morgan has recently suggested that there is scope to do more to attract fishers from across the world—for example, using the game fairs and other set-piece shows to grow the sport to new audiences. Minister, how are you working with your Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the fishing and angling sector is front and centre of the Government's strategy to boost tourism and develop the rural economy? And what support are you providing businesses to promote sustainable tourism within the sector to help improve local environments, whilst also growing the angling business? And I'm conscious of your first answer.