Freshwater Fish Directive
The EC Freshwater Fish Directive (78/659/EEC), adopted on 18 July 1978, seeks to protect those fresh water bodies identified by Member States as waters suitable for sustaining fish populations. For those waters it sets physical and chemical water quality objectives for salmonid waters and cyprinid waters. The Directive will be repealed in 2013 by the EC Water Framework Directive.The Directive is transposed into UK legislation through Regulations and Directions. The full text of the Directive and the Regulations are available through the following links:
- The Freshwater Fish Directive
- Regulations
- England and Wales -
- Scotland -
- Northern Ireland -
Implementation of the Directive
The regulatory authorities for implementation of the Directive in the UK and links to their websites, with contact details for queries relating to implementation of the Directive, are:
- England and Wales - The Environment Agency
- Scotland - Scottish Environment Protection Agency
- Northern Ireland - Environment and Heritage Service
Designations in England and Wales
Waters protected under the Directive are formally designated through the issue of a notice. In England and Wales the notice is issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government and it places an obligation on the Environment Agency to ensure that designated waters meet their objectives.
Previous designations in England and Wales are detailed in a notice
published in July 1998 
(20 KB) and the schedules.
Cyprinid waters
(75 KB)
Salmonid waters
(140KB)
New Designations 2003
At the end of 2002 the Commission issued an Article 226 Reasoned Opinion to the UK for failing to comply with the Freshwater Fish Directive. In response, the following freshwaters have been designated in addition to those already in existence:
-
all rivers down to an average natural daily flow of greater than 0.31 cubic metres per second;
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any gaps between existing designations on rivers or canals;
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previously designated river stretches to be designated to source;
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all still waters of surface area greater than 50 hectares.
Defra/Welsh Assembly Government undertook a consultation on the designation of new waters under the Directive. The consultation took place from the 9th of June 2003 until the 8th September 2003. It was advertised in regional newspapers and key consultees were informed by letter or e-mail. There were a total of 52 responses by letter and e-mail. The link to the Government Response to the Consultation is shown below.
The Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment included within the consultation document has been revised to take account of the further work undertaken by Defra in estimating potential costs and benefits, responses to the consultation exercise and the 2004 Periodic Review of Water Prices (it should be noted that the costs shown in the RIA relating to the water industry will be subject to further change as a result of the ongoing PR04 process). A link to the revised and final RIA is shown below.
A Notice (with Schedules) was issued by Defra/WAG on 18th December 2003 to designate over 14,500 km of rivers and canals and 14,000 ha of still waters in England and Wales. The new designations will come into force on 22nd December 2003.
Consultation on New Designations
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Summary and analysis of responses on proposed new designations under the Freshwater Fish Directive can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/fwfish/index.htm
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List of Terms and Abbreviations
(10 KB) -
Map showing location of new designations in England and Wales
(150 KB)
Further information
If you would like further information not covered in these pages then please contact Edmund Beard. The Environment Agency's web site also contains some information on the Directive: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterquality/252005/252583/
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Page last modified: 20 June 2008
Page published: 27 May 2003