Water Framework Summer 2006

Water Framework Directive
and the Marine Bill

How might the Water Framework Directive interact with the Marine Bill? Christa Upjohn, for
the Environment Agency, takes a stab at joined-up thinking.
T
he Marine Bill consultation
currently being considered by
many interested parties throws
up a number of issues for the
Environment Agency as competent
authority for the Water Framework
Directive (WFD) in England and Wales.
Although the process of developing
the Marine Bill is in the early stages, a
number of potential overlaps and links
with the WFD and issues for
consideration can already be
identified.
The Water framework Directive covers all large bodies of water in Europe.
The Water Framework Directive basin district (see diagram) which set
(WFD) is a vital piece of European out ways to improve water quality and
legislation designed to integrate the reduce the risk water poses. As the
way we manage water bodies across competent authority for the WFD, we
Europe. It came into force in are responsible for this process.
December 2000 and was transposed
into UK domestic law in December About the Marine Bill
2003. It covers all waters in Europe The Marine Bill consultation
including groundwaters, rivers, document represents the first formal
estuaries and marine waters to one step in the process of creating a Marine
nautical mile. Bill and provides a much needed
framework balancing conservation,
About the Water energy and resource needs.
Framework Directive
The Directive contains a set of The document sets out the background
guidelines for managing large bodies for the proposed Marine Bill and
of water and aims to improve water describes a number of proposals.
quality. It also aims to reduce any These cover specific elements of
danger a water body poses, such as marine management that the Bill
flooding. The deterioration of could potentially address. It does not
wetlands must stop and an overall set out preferred policy but seeks
improvement of aquatic habitats for feedback on a number of options for
wildlife must be achieved. the introduction of a marine spatial
planning system, a revision of the
An extremely important component marine licensing system, improved
of delivering the requirements of the management of marine nature
WFD is the preparation of River Basin conservation and the development of
Management Plans for each river a marine management organisation.
14 The edge Summer 2006

Phil Cottier/Cottier & Sidaway
The Marine Bill has focussed much needed attention on the marine environment.
Links and issues Marine Bill cover the area from mean and public participation. Baseline
Both the Marine Bill and the WFD high or low water out to the UK information collated as part of the
recognise that while protecting national boundary. As WFD applies to development of river basin
the environment is important, inland and marine waters out to one management plans may also be useful
consideration of both social and nautical mile, the management of river in the development of marine spatial
economic principles must be basin catchments and associated river plans. Information exchange must
included within the decision process. basin management plans required happen, particularly in that the
This is a change to existing legislation under the WFD will provide an availability of data for the marine
which generally seeks to consider one important link between the land and environment is highly variable.
of these issues, usually in isolation. the marine environment. WFD will
Additionally, both the WFD and the therefore play a significant role in The opportunity must be taken now to
Marine Bill seek to rationalise and delivering sustainable use of our seas. address as many of these as possible
update existing legislation with the and ensure mechanisms are in place.
aim of providing co-ordinated Looking forward There are many areas where the
approaches to water and marine A mechanism for integrating the two Marine Bill and the WFD overlap and
resource management. This is based types of plan including excellent interact. We need to work hard to
on the concept of spatial planning in communication between the bodies ensure that we are aware of the links,
both cases. responsible for producing these plans and that mechanisms are put in place
must be established. Review periods to link the two pieces of legislation to
A particular thread that runs through must also be carefully defined. This get the most for the marine
both Marine Bill proposals and the will ensure that the overlap can be environment. One thing is for certain;
WFD, is the requirement for managed efficiently, without running the implementation of the WFD and
sustainable use of water and its the risk that issues are addressed twice the proposal for the Marine Bill have
resources. Both require significant or not at all. It is possible that the focused our much needed attention on
involvement from the public and due principles of integrated coastal zone the marine environment.
to the wide coverage of issues, management could be applied to help
delivery by a number of link these plans. For more information:
organisations. These similarities in Email: Marine@environment-
objectives are welcomed and essential Finally, it is hoped that the expertise agency.gov.uk
to ensuring optimal environmental, gained by the Environment Agency in
social and economic benefit of the implementing WFD will be applied to Websites:
water environment. assist in the implementation of the www.environment-
Marine Bill. Examples include the Agency.gov.UK/marine
There are also overlaps geographically development of conservation www.environment-
between the Marine Bill and WFD. objectives, monitoring, programmes of Agency.gov.UK/wfd
The proposed boundaries for the measures to address particular issues
The edge Summer 2006 15

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Water Framework Directive

and the Marine Bill

14 The edge Summer 2006

The edge Summer 2006 15

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