Agriculture
Most land around the Strait and the surrounding rivers is used for cattle and sheep farming. Post Brexit, our farmers are required to expand in order to feed the growing populations. To aid them, the government has approved the use of previously banned chemicals. These chemicals being lost into the watercourse will potentially have a devastating impact on wildlife in the Strait and the rivers surrounding it.
Agriculture affects water quality through the release of nutrients (as a result of soil management and fertilizer application) and other chemicals (e.g., pesticides) into the water environment, through biological contamination (e.g., from microbiological organisms in manure), and via soil being eroded and washed off.
The more intense rainfall we receive due to climate change, the higher sediment loss into the water course, causing habitat loss and a process called Eutrophication. Despite the tidal range in the Strait, Eutrophication can also become a critical problem and increase invasive blooms.
Agricultural Pollution
Use of fertiliser combined with sediment loss is increasing eutrophication in our waterways. Resulting in dead zones in rivers and seas. Sediment loss is increasing with climate change and more intensive rain.
Livestock, land use and machinery is increasing the volume of compacted soils., which in turn exacerbate nutrient run off.
This video clip explains the process and how Eutrophication can potentially have a negative impact on the Strait and its surrounding rivers.
Pesticides and Neonicotoids
Several insecticides are used to control crop-damaging insects in agricultural programs around the world, helping to minimise crop loss from pests and diseases. But unfortunately they don’t stop killing wildlife on the crops. Once they reach the water course they continue to contaminate and eradicate freshwater and marine species.
Brexit has caused a relaxing of stringent environmental laws and the approval to use previously banned chemicals.
Organophosphorus compounds found in sheep dip are very toxic to humans exposed even to very low doses, as they travel easily through the skin, and are cumulatively toxic, they also pose a threat to all wildlife.
Working with farmers
The solution lies in working with landowners and farmers to help them fund and implement improvements and holding the government to account on the legislation. Ultimately this will protect the water ways entering the Strait and the banks of the Menai. Aiding farmers to meet their nitrate targets and ultimately improving the water quality.
We hope the Menai Strait Partnership Forum will involve the collaboration of landowners and farmers. This short clips below shows how a project in Ireland involving farmers helped to improve the water course.