17 July 2025

Press Release

For immediate release

Office: +44 (0) 29 20538512

New survey shows strong support from Welsh public to eliminate river & sea pollution in Wales

WWF Cymru launch manifesto setting out how the next Welsh Government can bring our rivers and seas back to life with urgent action.

87% of the Welsh public support action from Welsh Government to reduce, and where possible eliminate river pollution caused by agriculture and sewage.
The Welsh public strongly support (79%) restoring carbon rich marine habitats such as seagrass, saltmarsh and oyster reefs, improving the health of our sea.These habitats are negatively impacted by excessive nutrients in the water.
81% of people support setting a national target to halve freshwater pollution by 2030.
89% support legal action against major violations and repeat offenders of river pollution.
86% support action to reduce pollutants into water from land by restoring riverbank habitats.
70% support action to reduce permitted levels of fertiliser and pesticide use which in turn pollutes our water.

A new poll from WWF Cymru shows significant support (87%) from the Welsh public for action from Welsh Government to reduce and eliminate river pollution caused by agriculture and sewage. Welsh rivers and the sea are in a dire state. Pollution has poisoned many of our waterways, with catastrophic consequences for people and wildlife. Salmon and sea trout numbers are in freefall, with 70% lost over the past decade. In the UK, up to 92% of seagrass meadows and 85% of saltmarshes have been lost.

The Welsh public strongly support (79%) restoring carbon rich marine habitats such as seagrass, saltmarsh and oyster reefs, improving the health of our sea. To do this it is vital we address the pollution suffocating our rivers and flowing directly into our seas. Poor water quality damages natural ocean habitats such as seagrasses, kelp beds and salt marsh.

Excess nutrients from agricultural run-off from farmland accounts for significant amounts of pollution in rivers and the sea. When this nutrient pollution from the land reaches the sea, it promotes the growth of algal blooms, which blocks sunlight from reaching fish and plants and can smother the seabed. This damages marine ecosystems and the ocean’s ability to store carbon, making conditions for recovery or restoration of carbon rich habitats, such as seagrass, challenging.

Earlier this year NRW confirmed that 7 out of 9 of our most protected rivers were failing due to high levels of nutrients. We are now seeing a similar picture in the sea, we expect a National Resources Wales report released later today to confirm high levels of failures for nutrient levels in Wales’s coastal waters too. The Welsh public have had enough and are behind several, urgently needed, actions to clean up Welsh rivers with 7 in 10 (68%) supporting Welsh Government to pay farmers to make changes in the way they farm to protect nature and tackle climate change. 7 in 10 (70%) of those surveyed support action to reduce permitted levels of fertiliser and pesticide use in Wales. The UK government has committed to halve pollution from excess nutrient loss by 2030, as part of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Wales must play its part in meeting this commitment.

Shea Buckland Jones, WWF Cymru Head of Policy and Advocacy, explains: “In Wales our appreciation of nature and connection to our landscapes and the rivers and sea which shape these landscapes is deeply rooted in our identity, so it’s not surprising that our poll reflects the Welsh public’s overwhelming support for action to stop the pollution which is choking our rivers and seas.”

Shea adds” The shocking state of pollution in our rivers and sea revealed today shows Welsh Government must act urgently to bring our rivers back to life and end the pollution suffocating our sea. Sadly, the Welsh public do not need to view this report to appreciate the dire state of our waterways as it is all too apparent. This is why there is so much support from across Wales to bring Welsh rivers back to full health. As we have set out in our new manifesto this means sustained action to restore ecosystems and prevent all sources of river pollution, focusing on the two biggest sources: agriculture and sewage.”

Our seas support vital industries such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy and shipping, as well as being deeply embedded in our cultural heritage. Ensuring the health of our marine environment will also bring economic benefits for Wales as seaweed, for example, has the potential to be worth at least £105 million per annum by 2030 and create close to 1,000 jobs in some of Wales’ most deprived communities.

ENDS

Notes to editors

About WWF      

WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, active in nearly 100 countries. Our supporters – more than five million of them – are helping us to restore nature and to tackle the main causes of nature’s decline, particularly the food system and climate change. We’re fighting to ensure a world with thriving habitats and species, and to change hearts and minds so it becomes unacceptable to overuse our planet’s resources.

WWF. For your world.       

For wildlife, for people, for nature.       

Find out more about our work, past and present at http://www.wwf.org.uk/

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:    

Sarah Graham sgraham@wwf.org.uk, Rheolwr Cyfathrebu | Communications Manager, WWF Cymru. 

Ffôn: +44 (0) 29 20538512 |  Out of hours: +44 (0)7881 386445   

Historical Analysis Exposes Catastrophic Seagrass Loss for the United Kingdom,

Alix E. Green1*Richard K. F. Unsworth,Richard K. F. Unsworth2 ,3Michael A. ChadwickMichael A. Chadwick4

YouGov polling data

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,019 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 27th May - 4th June 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in Wales (aged 16+).

WWF Cymru manifesto asks: Ways to bring our rivers and sea back to life:

Cleaner Rivers 

The next Welsh government must prioritise urgent action to bring our rivers back to life through restoring ecosystems and preventing all sources of river pollution, focusing on the biggest two: agriculture and sewage. 

3 urgent actions for the next Welsh Government 

The new Environment Bill should be used to set specific targets to cut water pollution, monitor all rivers and water bodies yearly by 2030, and protect nature in line with global targets. A funded action plan should support local efforts to meet these goals and hold decision-makers accountable. 
Pollution rules must be properly enforced, with serious and repeat offenders prosecuted. Stronger oversight is needed, including tighter rules for large livestock and poultry farms and better planning to stop too many of them from harming rivers. 
The Sustainable Farming Scheme should help improve river health by restoring and expanding riverbanks to reduce pollution and flooding, and by supporting farming methods that restore healthy soil. All funded actions should also help meet the environmental goals set in the new Environment Bill.

Healthier Seas 

The next Welsh Government must take bold action to improve the health and future of our marine habitats. Our seas support vital industries such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy and shipping, as well as being deeply embedded in our cultural heritage. Restoring our seas to health is good for communities, wildlife and  climate. 

Protect and restore ocean habitats that store carbon, by creating a strong recovery plan backed by law and funding. This should include stopping pollution from land and rivers, supporting local communities, and fully delivering the National Seagrass Action Plan. 
Restore and protect Welsh ocean habitats by improving the marine licensing system. Seagrass and saltmarsh should also be added to Wales’ carbon tracking to help monitor their role in fighting climate change. 
Finish creating a full network of Welsh Marine Conservation Zones to protect ocean habitats and marine life from harmful activities. This should include better planning for our sea, considering blue carbon and habitat restoration areas, completing impact assessments and limiting actions that damage these vital ecosystems.

  (For full detail and breakdown of the context and actions read the Manifesto)