Event Title

Session C2: EU Water Framework Directive

Location

Groningen, The Netherlands

Event Website

http://fishpassage.umass.edu/

Start Date

22-6-2015 2:00 PM

End Date

22-6-2015 2:15 PM

Description

Abstract:

DG Environment (EU Commission) will address the importance the EU environmental legislation to ensure protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, but also the need for improving the implementation of existing legislation. The focus will be the Water Framework Directive (WFD), but other relevant EU environmental legislation will be briefly presented (in particular nature legislation).

The general objective of the WFD is good ecological status by 2015, as well as avoiding any further deterioration in the status of water bodies. The WFD classification scheme for determining the ecological status is based on biological quality elements, of which the fish populations is the element most affected by the hydromorphological alterations (longitudinal obstacles).

The hydromorphological elements are also an important part for determining the status of water bodies, especially when these are affected by physical modifications. The WFD requires the achievement of good status even in water bodies affected by existing or new infrastructure, unless some strict conditions are met. In these cases, for which there are justified reasons not to attain good status, the objective is achieving good ecological potential, which is an ambitious objective as well and a strong driver for river restoration, which requires to improve the flow regime and fish migration.

The Commission has assessed how these obligations have been reflected in the first RBMPs and has identified areas for improvement. Those relevant for fish migration and river restoration will be presented, including some good practices and some common challenges to be address in different Member States.

On March 2015, the Commission will publish a Communication on the progress with the Programmes of Measures, with specific recommendations per Member State. A summary of relevant issues will also be presented. Finally, the 3rd Water Conference will be held in March 2015 and any relevant feedback will as well be raised.

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Jun 22nd, 2:00 PM Jun 22nd, 2:15 PM

Session C2: EU Water Framework Directive

Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract:

DG Environment (EU Commission) will address the importance the EU environmental legislation to ensure protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, but also the need for improving the implementation of existing legislation. The focus will be the Water Framework Directive (WFD), but other relevant EU environmental legislation will be briefly presented (in particular nature legislation).

The general objective of the WFD is good ecological status by 2015, as well as avoiding any further deterioration in the status of water bodies. The WFD classification scheme for determining the ecological status is based on biological quality elements, of which the fish populations is the element most affected by the hydromorphological alterations (longitudinal obstacles).

The hydromorphological elements are also an important part for determining the status of water bodies, especially when these are affected by physical modifications. The WFD requires the achievement of good status even in water bodies affected by existing or new infrastructure, unless some strict conditions are met. In these cases, for which there are justified reasons not to attain good status, the objective is achieving good ecological potential, which is an ambitious objective as well and a strong driver for river restoration, which requires to improve the flow regime and fish migration.

The Commission has assessed how these obligations have been reflected in the first RBMPs and has identified areas for improvement. Those relevant for fish migration and river restoration will be presented, including some good practices and some common challenges to be address in different Member States.

On March 2015, the Commission will publish a Communication on the progress with the Programmes of Measures, with specific recommendations per Member State. A summary of relevant issues will also be presented. Finally, the 3rd Water Conference will be held in March 2015 and any relevant feedback will as well be raised.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/90