What will the Water Framework Directive mean for the fisheries industry, and recreational fisheries?
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) means continued improvement in fish stocks through improved habitats and improved water quality and quantity.
The emphasis is on achieving good overall ecological status, not just on complying with water quality standards.
We work hard to protect and improve the environment, and to balance this with the often competing social and economic demands.
The WFD will enable us to look at the pressures facing the fisheries sector in context with the other pressures on the water environment. It will give us an opportunity to further develop long-term programmes of environmental improvement.
Key issues
- Water quality problems caused by industrial and agricultural discharges and diffuse run-off
- Land management practices that cause siltation to waterways, destroying fish spawning areas and the food sources and habitat on which fish depend
- Acidification due to inappropriate tree planting
- Damaging fish introductions and movements, including invasive alien species Physical habitat damage caused by inappropriate watercourse management and development
- Water quantity and flow problems caused by, for example, abstractions
- Over-fishing of some species, particularly migratory and marine stocks
- Fisheries and the Water Framework Directive (PDF, 49KB)
