The centuries-old tradition of fishing on the River Teifi is facing an existential threat due to rising pollution levels, impacting the livelihoods of families who have depended on the waterway for generations. Keith Elias, whose family has fished the river for 300 years, reported catching only one fish this season, a stark contrast to previous years.
"It's been in my family for so long, I love carrying the tradition on but it's getting to the point where you get to the end of the season and you're not hitting fish. You just don't want to go," Elias stated.
The River Teifi was identified last year as one of the UK's most polluted rivers, with over 2,232 pollution spills recorded in 2024, totaling more than 22,000 hours.
Welsh Water, a water company operating in the region, has been implicated in some of these pollution incidents. The company announced plans to invest £889 million in storm overflows between 2025 and 2030, with six projects specifically aimed at reducing their impact on the Tywi river system. "We are determined to play our part to improve river water quality on the Tywi, but this isn't just an issue for water companies, collaboration is needed across sectors, including industry and agriculture, to ensure improvements," a spokesperson for Welsh Water said.
Local residents have also shared videos online depicting discharges into the river, which they claim originate from Mekatek, a nearby electronics recycling company. Mekatek holds a discharge license from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Mekatek expressed concern over the decline in sewin, a type of sea trout found in the river. "Anyone wishing to understand what we do and how well we do it is more than welcome to arrange to visit the site and view our operations for themselves," a company representative stated. The company also noted it has spent over 40 years developing its processes to ensure it is not a contributing factor to the fish population decline.
Images have emerged showing the riverbanks with yellow discharge floating on the surface and dead fish in the murky water, illustrating the severity of the pollution. Historically, the River Teifi has even been fished by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, highlighting its past significance.