FISHERMEN INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DUBBED “THE REEF OF DEATH”

Fishermen increasingly concerned about what has been dubbed “The Reef of Death” in the Severn Estuary, after a troubling discovery of numerous dead fish during low tide. While finding the occasional dead fish is not unusual, the large number of carcasses concentrated in one area is raising alarms. The area has earned its ominous nickname as local anglers fear something more serious may be behind the deaths. The majority of the fish found are conger eels, a species known for being hardy, which raises concerns that more sensitive fish might also be impacted. Fishermen have also discovered the remains of salmon, suggesting the possible effects on already endangered fish populations.

The fish found are in various stages of decomposition, indicating that this issue has been ongoing for a while, and seems to be particularly focused in this region. The Severn Estuary, known for its extreme tidal range of 15 meters—the second largest in the world—makes this situation even more concerning. Despite the massive tidal changes, which should dilute any pollution or disease, fish are still being exposed and dying, signalling that something persistent may be at play.

Martin, a local fisherman and the creator of the Black Rock Lave Net Heritage Fishery Facebook page, has been fishing in the area for over 50 years. He recently shared his thoughts on the alarming situation:

“The stretch of the Severn below the old Severn Bridge is where I’ve been fishing for over half a century,” Martin said. “In all my time here, I’ve never seen anything like the number of dead fish we’ve found in recent weeks. Normally, we might find one or two dead congers a year, but lately, it’s been over 10 each visit.”

Although Martin has reached out to a wide audience through his Facebook page and spoken with officials from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Swansea University, no one has taken significant action to investigate the cause of the fish deaths.

“There are several possible reasons being suggested. Some say heavy rainfall may have altered the salinity of the estuary, others point to disease, and many suspect pollution,” he explained. “We’ve also found other species affected, including whiting and salmon, indicating that this issue is not limited to conger eels.”

While Martin noted that the number of dead fish seemed to have decreased during his most recent visit, he remains cautious: “We haven’t seen as many recently, but I’ll continue to keep an eye on the area.”

What’s equally troubling is that the upper Severn appears to be lifeless. “In the past, we’d see huge numbers of sprats running up the Severn, which would be picked off by gulls on the retreating tide. But I haven’t seen any in the last three years—and I’m here more than most,” Martin observed.

“Anglers aren’t catching cod like they used to, or much of anything else, which suggests that this issue is part of a bigger, more widespread problem,” he concluded.