1 April 2025

by Joanna Richardson

British Marine Public Affairs team busy fighting on two fronts to safeguard the future of marine tourism in Wales.

In this article we look at the work being done to encourage government to take action so that navigation channels along the popular Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal remain open and the actions being taken to avert risks posed by the Welsh visitor levy legislation to the marine industry. 

Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal

Concerns expressed by British Marine Wales’ members who operate on the beautiful ‘Mon & Brec’ about the Canal & River Trust being potentially unable to keep water levels sufficiently high for navigation has led to swift action by British Marine’s Chief Executive, Lesley Robinson. Following a discussion with the Trust’s Chief Executive, Richard Parry, Lesley made representations to the Welsh Government’s Deputy First Minister & Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, urging the government to work with the Trust and Natural Resources Wales to address the looming crisis and has also offered the industry’s support to local MPs, Caroline Fookes (Monmouthshire) and Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfean).

The crisis stems from restrictive licensing conditions that now apply to the Trust when abstracting water from the River Usk for the Mon & Brec. The conditions mean that in the increasingly frequent dry periods the Trust will be unable to abstract sufficient water from the river to keep the canal navigable.  The only feasible solution at this stage is for the Trust to purchase additional water as and when required via a release from Usk Reservoir. Yet the charges Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) would apply for the water to ensure their associated operating costs are recovered, are simply too high for the Trust, a national charity, to cover alone. 

The only feasible solution at this stage is for the Trust to purchase additional water as and when required from the decommissioned Grwyne Fawr reservoir in Brecon. Yet the charges Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) would apply for the water, combined with the costs to put in place the infrastructure to enable the water to be transferred, are simply too high for the Trust, a national charity, to cover alone. 

Given the social and economic value of the Mon & Brec which attracts over 4.5 million visitors a year -  including many hire boat customers – and which generates an estimated £26.m per annum, it is imperative the Welsh Government intervenes to support the Trust.  

We would urge all British Marine members, irrespective of whether or not they operate in Wales, to support marine tourism in Wales by signing the petition today to help preserve the Mon & Brec -  click here

Welsh Visitor Levy Bill  

British Marine Wales is continuing to work with colleagues on the Welsh Tourism Alliance to advice Senedd Members on how they might improve the Bill which is due to have its first debate in the Senedd this week, before proceeding on its amendment stages.  

This follows the publication of the Finance Committee’s report on the principles of the Bill which the Committee, with the exception of the Conservative MS Sam Rowlands, have decided to support. However, during its scrutiny of the Bill the Committee pressed the Minister on the concerns that British Marine Wales, supported by our Public Affairs team, raised in regard to Section 40 of the Bill – the power to extend the levy to berths and moorings.  In response the Minister admitted that “in any Bill you come to a point where you haven’t been able to work your way through all the policy implications ..which is why the Bill doesn’t propose at this point extending the levy to those forms of activity.”  He went on to state that further policy work would be undertaken in consultation with industry.

In the meantime British Marine Wales will call on the Senedd to amend the Bill by either removing Section 40 entirely or making it clear that any such power to extend the levy to berths and moorings in future would exclude berths and moorings for small leisure boats.  I It will continue to make the that case that recreational boating should not be affected by a visitor tax. Unlike land-based tourism, and the high volume of  tourists that visit Wales via cruise ships, yachting and inland boating are highly sustainable forms of tourism. Furthermore, the majority of businesses and charities that facilitate boating on Welsh inland and coastal waters are not visitor accommodation providers and therefore should be exempt from the levy. 

If you require further information on this either of these topics please contact Joanna Richardson email jrichardson@britishmarine.co.uk.