Su Painting and Neil Auchterlonie DG ENV Workshop, 6 March 2014 Water Framework Directive (WFD) & Aquaculture Su Painting and Neil Auchterlonie DG ENV Workshop, 6 March 2014

Outline WFD introduction WFD & aquaculture: relevance; interactions Implementation of WFD: key impacts and issues Regulatory examples

Water Framework Directive (WFD) EU Directive 2000/60/EC Surface water bodies, coastal waters & groundwater Scale of relevance e.g. Mediterranean The WFD, implemented in 2000, applies to surface water-bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries), coastal waters (within 1nm for ecological status and 12 nm for chemical status) and groundwater in EU MS The MAP = Mainland Europe (Mediterranean) – this gives an example of the number and location of fish farms, to indicate ‘the scale of the relevance of the WFD’ (from Trujillo et al. 2012. Fish farms at sea: the ground truth from google earth. PLoS one 9(2): e30546.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030546) Trujillo et al. 2012

Water Framework Directive (WFD) To prevent deterioration of status & achieve ‘good status’ by 2015 – sustainable water use; enhancing protection and improvement The purpose of the Directive is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters (estuaries), coastal waters and groundwaters, which: prevents further deterioration and protects and enhances the status of water bodies (and to achieve ‘good ecological status’ and ‘good chemical status’ by 20150 [the bit in brackets is not in Article 1!] promotes sustainable water use based on a long-term protection of available water resources aims at enhanced protection and improvement of the aquatic environment …. e.g. through measures to reduce discharges, emissions, losses of priority substances .. Ensures progressive reduction of pollution of groundwater and prevents its further pollution Contributes to mitigating effects of floods and droughts [!!], and thereby contributes to supply of good quality water etc.

Water Framework Directive (WFD) Classifications: - High - Good - Moderate - Poor - Bad Elements: GREEN BOX: Classifications are made of Ecological status, based on 3 ‘categories’ – the lowest score ‘goes forward’ PINK BOX: Classifications are made of Chemical Status based on one ‘category’ – the lowest score ‘goes forward’ YELLOW BOX: Final Status = lowest of both scores. Annex V of the WFD gives elements (i.e. parameters) to be used in each ‘category’ for classifications of status, as well as definitions of how to assign status (e.g. high, good, moderate ecological status in surface waters). The next slide gives examples of elements to be used in classifications of surface water http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/03/02155205/4

Water Framework Directive (WFD) e.g. composition & abundance of phytoplankton and/or aquatic flora, invertebrate fauna, fish fauna e.g. temperature, oxygen, salinity, transparency, acidification, nutrients, specific pollutants e.g. water flow rates, residence time, connections, water body depth/width, bed/shore structure For example, for surface water: Ecological status Biological quality elements include composition & abundance of phytoplankton and/or aquatic flora, invertebrate fauna and fish fauna. For coastal waters, fish are not included. General chemical and physico-chemical quality elements – these support biological elements – and include temperature, oxygen, salinity, transparency, acidification, nutrients, specific pollutants - the indicative list of pollutants is in Annex VIII Hydromorphological quality elements – these support biological elements – and include water flow rates, residence time, connections/connectivity, water body depth/width, bed/shore structure Chemical status Determined by effects of pollutants on aquatic biota, notably algae and/or macrophytes, daphnia or representative organisms for saline waters, and fish. Indicative list of pollutants is given in Annex Viii. Some examples shown here. Neg = negative, BOD = biological oxygen demand, COD = chemical oxygen demand e.g. organophosphorous compounds, substances which contribute to eutrophication (nitrates, phosphates) or have a neg. influence on oxygen balance (e.g. BOD, COD)

Water Framework Directive (WFD) Implementation: River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) Impacts of human activity Programme of Measures Protected Areas Due 2009 Competent authorities International River Basin Districts National River Basin Districts The main instruments for implementation of the WFD are RBMPs for each MS , and competent authorities nominated for each MS. RBMPs include a review of impacts of human activity, designation of Protected Areas (e.g. for drinking water, protection of key species, nutrient vulnerable zones, Natura sites; Article 6 and Annex IV) and a programme of measures (described in Annex VII). RMBPs were due in 2009. However the majority of MSs have found it very challenging to develop and/or finalise their RMBPs. http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/soe-wfd/wfd-river-basin-district-info-viewer

WFD and other legislation Blue Text = Directives (I’m not sure about the ‘groundwater’ and ‘Sevesco, IPCC’). Also, the SWD and FWFD are not shown here… THIS SLIDE IS THEREFORE ‘INDICATIVE’ Annex VI (Part A) of the WFD gives a list of Directives. Their measures are to be included within the WFD programme of measures. Directives listed are: Bathing Waters, Birds, Drinking Water, Major Accidents, EIA, Sewage Sludge, Urban Waste Water Treatment, Plant Protection Products, Nitrates, Habitats, Integrated Pollution control Annex VI (Part B) gives examples of supplementary measures which may be included e.g. recreation and restoration of wetland areas, abstraction controls, efficiency and reuse measures (such as promotion of water-efficient technologies in industry) Previously – SFWD, FWFD Future - MSFD

WFD and Aquaculture WFD = relevant & important Coastal Inland Aquaculture activities occur extensively throughout Europe, in both coastal and inland waters. In addition to the earlier slide (on the location and number of fish farms in the Mediterranean) these maps show 1. Aquaculture production relative to coastline length (for marine and brackish waters production Data source: FAO FISHSTAT Plus and World Resources Institute) 2. Inland trout fisheries (freshwater) in the UK - the map shows locations of British Trout Association members. The main concentrations of production are in Scotland, Wessex and the south of England, with smaller but significant industries also found in Northern Ireland, Wales, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (from http://www.britishtrout.co.uk/old-site/listings.htm)

WFD and Aquaculture: Interactions Aquaculture environment (water body) Example: marine finfish aquaculture Aquaculture activities can potentially have an impact on the ecological and chemical status of the water body in which these activities take place. For example, these impacts are summarised in a case study on marine finfish aquaculture. They include: release of dissolved and particulate wastes. These can potentially affect water quality, and seabed processes. WFD impacts on Aquaculture are not shown. A major concern is that the WFD is/will be too restrictive e.g. will limit fish production (through limiting fish densities, feeding, pond fertilisation). Also, that the industry is easier to target than other industries, such as agriculture (diffuse sources of nutrients), sewage (point sources of nutrients), renewable energy forestry… Sanz-Lázaro and Marín 2008

WFD and Aquaculture: Interactions Pressures and impacts: Hydro-morphological quality Physico-chemical quality Biological quality In summary, • The aquaculture industry … exerts quantitative and qualitative pressure and impacts on water resources. • Pressures and impacts of different aquaculture systems depend on multiple factors, including farm location, type of cultured organism, methods used, and the sensitivity of the environment. • Pressures from aquaculture which may impact upon WFD status include: • hydro-morphological quality – through abstraction and infrastructure • physico-chemical quality – through discharges of dissolved and particulate nutrients, and chemical contaminants (e.g. disinfectants, antibiotics) • biological quality – through eutrophication, escapees, diseases/parasites • Aquaculture activities therefore need to be monitored and managed.

WFD and Aquaculture Key Aquaculture Principles: non-consumptive use of water reliant on good water quality mitigation measures can be adopted (e.g. Aquabest recommendations for the Baltic Sea) However, the key principles of sustainable aquaculture are that the industry: Makes non-consumptive use of water Is reliant on good water quality Also, that mitigation measures can be developed and adopted. These measures may have additional benefits, such as habitat restoration oor creation, creation of flood defenses etc.

WFD and Aquaculture Key Issues: discharges flow management protection of water quality containment effects, escapees, pathogens ecological continuity biodiversity species introductions There are a number of issues in regulating aquaculture under the WFD. Some of the key issues are given here. For example: Discharges – water quality parameters of the discharged water; distance from point of abstraction to point of discharge Flow management – may alter hydromorphology Protection of water quality - relevant elements and parameters need to be identified, e.g. dissolved oxygen, phosphorus and nitrates Containment effects, escapees, pathogens – identification and justification of which are ‘pollutants’ or alien species Ecological continuity – e.g. do changes in hydromorphology allow free passage of migratory fish, or exchanges of water with adjacent water bodies Biodiversity – multiple examples. Including protection of predators (cormorants, otters) vs aquaculture needs; creation of habitats (due to retention of water); Species introductions – introducing new species for aquaculture; restocking – issues under Alien Species Regulations

WFD and Aquaculture Key Issues Continued: development of aquaculture coherence between EU regulations and within MS administrative burdens on the industry Development of aquaculture – encouraged under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and Blue Growth initiatives Coherence between regs and within MS – topic of workshop/s – objective of the Commission is to develop a guidance document

WFD and Aquaculture: Regulatory Examples England, Wales and Scotland - finfish: Competent authorities = EA and SEPA Permits required for abstraction & discharge Limits on fish biomass; monitoring Medicines - licences and discharges Fish health Regulatory examples of implementation of WFD for finfish aquaculture sector • The designated competent authority is the Environment Agency (EA) in England and Wales and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland. • Practitioners are required to get permits from the EA/SEPA to abstract or discharge surface or groundwater. SEPA sets limits on the biomass of fish that can be grown in cage sites. Compliance is determined from routine monitoring. • Medicines are licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and on-farm use (discharge) is consented by EA/SEPA. • Other competent authorities (for fish health) regulate fish and shellfish health, and inspect to ensure satisfactory containment. We need examples from other MSs Other MS?

WFD and Aquaculture Thank you!