Freshwater Fish

The aim of this Directive is to protect or improve the quality of those running or standing fresh waters which support, or which, if pollution was reduced or eliminated, would become capable of supporting, fish belonging to:

• indigenous species offering a natural diversity;
• species the presence of which is judged desirable for water management purposes by the competent authorities of the Member States.

There are currently some 4300km of rivers and canals and 20 standing waters (lakes and reservoirs) greater than 50 hectares in area that have been designated as either salmonid (suitable for game fish) or cyprinid (suitable for coarse fish) in Northern Ireland. Details of the designated areas can be accessed at the NIEA website.

The Directive's aim is to protect or improve the quality of freshwaters which support or which, if pollution were reduced or eliminated, would become capable of supporting fishlife.