Janet Finch-Saunders MS, the Shadow Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, has reacted with concern to a suspected oil spill into a watercourse in North Wales, and the action taken by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to mitigate the spill’s effects.
The spill appears to have taken place during Storm Christoph, when oil was spotted flowing along Prestatyn Gutter, a watercourse running from Meliden to Barkby Beach and Talacre in Prestatyn.
Mrs Finch-Saunders said:
“Any spill of fuel, oil, or other pollutants into our watercourses usually have devastating effects on wildlife in the area.
“Prestatyn Gutter empties into Talacre, which is a site of special scientific interest with protected sand lizards and Natterjack toads, and the only breeding colony of little terns in Wales, is therefore especially important.
“I have grave concerns over the welfare of these areas and the wildlife that lives there, and will be writing to the Environment Minister over this matter, particularly as the response by NRW – which is a Welsh Government quango – has roundly been described as ‘lacklustre’.”