RIVER BASIN PLANNING TO PROTECT OUR SHARED AQUATIC RESOURCE IN IRELAND

Transcription

1 Comhairle Chontae Dhún na ngall Donegal County Council RIVER BASIN PLANNING TO PROTECT OUR SHARED AQUATIC RESOURCE IN IRELAND Picture courtesy of E Moorkens

2 River Basin Planning in Ireland 8 river basin districts 3 international river basin districts WFD Implementation on a cross border basis North South Shared Aquatic Resource (NS SHARE), FPM Interreg IVa Project

3 Coordination Working together substantial areas lie within crossborder river basins; the rivers and lakes of the island of Ireland are within a single eco-region (eco-region 17) all coastal and transitional waters surrounding the island of Ireland are also included in one eco-region (eco-region 1) there are also 37 cross-border groundwater bodies which are shared between the two jurisdictions and which require coordinated management.

4 NS Share & NS SHARE II WFD Co-Ordination Timeline Identification of River Basin Districts: Managing Our Shared Waters 2004 Characterisation of surface and groundwaters Identification of water body boundaries including cross border water bodies Identification of impact of human activity Establishment of a register of protected areas WFD monitoring programmes 2007 Significant Water Management Issues SEA Scoping Study 2008 Draft River Basin Management Plan single SEA for IRBD 2009/2010 Publication of the final River Basin Management Plans

5 Cross border water bodies

6 RBMP Coordination with other plans and programmes Habitat and Species Protection Plans under the Habitats Directive; Water Services Strategic Plans; Nitrates Action Programmes; Strategic National Development Plans and related Local Plans.

7 Freshwater Pearl Mussel Margaritifera Margaritifera NS SHARE 2 27 Sub Basin Management Plans for SAC populations in Ireland FPM INTERREG IVA Project 3 sub basin management plans for the SAC populations in Northern Ireland

8 Life Cycle 40 (1 : 250,000) 2 (1 : 20) 10 M ( M) 0.1 (1 : 20) 120 years old

9 Margaritifera in the EU Country No. of populations Number of individuals Comment Austria 29 50,000 Strong decline Belgium 5-6 3,000 Almost extinct Czech Rep 6 80,000 1 good population Denmark 0 0? Probably extinct, last record from 1970 Estonia 1 40,000 Lack of juvenile recruitment for at least 40 years Finland 50 1,500,000 Strong decline France ,000 Strong decline Germany ,000 Best populations with > 10,000 individuals in Bavaria but serious declines; one recovering

10 Margaritifera in the EU Country Number of populations Number of individuals Comment UK >105 >12,000,000 Best populations in Scotland but 10 million of these in one river Ireland 135 >11,000,000 Best rivers between 1.5 and 2 million Latvia 8 25,000 Serious decline, no population with juvenile recruitment remains Lithuania 1?? Status unknown Luxembourg 1 1,500 Almost extinct; conservation programme planned Poland 0 0 Extinct Portugal 6 >1,000,000 Severe decline, 3 large populations Spain 19? Serious decline Sweden >400 >8,000,000 Serious declines, but in at least some populations with juveniles

11 Population size in Ireland 11+ million mussels Largest populations include: 2.8 million Caragh & Kerry Blackwater 1.0 million Bundorragha Records from 140+ rivers and lakes Some doubtful Some possibly duplicate

12 Conservation Status Favourable Status No recent decline in live adults No evidence of non-natural dead shells 20% Mussels under 65mm 5% Mussels under 30mm Evidence Decline in Numbers Local Population Extinction Contraction of Distribution Remaining populations not viable

13 Status of the Species in Northern Ireland Once common in many rivers in Northern Ireland Species is extant in six rivers - Owenkillew, Ballinderry and Swanlinbar (SAC populations) Recent surveys suggest species will be extinct in Northern Ireland by end of the century

14 SACs in Ireland Ireland 19 SACs covering 27 populations Northern Ireland 3 SACs

15 What are the causes of the decline?

16 Where have all the young ones gone? (Courtesy: Áine O'Connor, NPWS)

17 Illegal Pearl Fishing 1 in 10,000 might contain something resembling a pearl! Gold Brooch with Eske Pearl presented to Queen Victoria on her visit to Ireland in 1849 LEGAL PRODUCTION Cultured Freshwater Pearls China produces 1,500 tonnes per annum

18 Are the Mussels Reproducing? Owenkillew Catchment (Spring 2011) Date River E Grid ref N 1+ or older Salmon N with juv FPM % with juv FPM 28-May-11 Owenkillew % 28-May-11 Owenkillew % 28-May-11 Owenreagh %

19 Silt damage Some Sources Agriculture - Over Grazing - Tillage - Drainage - Livestock Poaching Forestry - Felling - Afforestation - Roads - Drainage Excessive Fine Silt Impacts on Mussels and Fish UWWT House Construction Quarrying Peat Harvesting

20 Nutrient Enrichment Some Sources Agriculture Fertilisers Slurry Livestock Access Forestry Fertilisation Felling / Brash Disturbance of peat UWWT Septic Tanks Excessive Aquatic Plant and Algal Growth

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22 Freshwater Pearl Mussel Regulations (S.I. No. 296 of 2009) Macroinvertebrates - High status Filamentous algae - Trace or Present ( 5%) Phytobenthos(Diatoms) - High status. Macrophytes - Rooted plants should be absent or rare within the mussel habitat Siltation - No artificially elevated levels of siltation - No plumes of silt when substratum is disturbed.

23 Freshwater Pearl Mussel Regulations (S.I. No. 296 of 2009) Numbers of live adults - No recent decline - Based on comparative results from the most recent surveys Numbers of dead shells - <1% of population and scattered distribution - 1% considered to be indicative of natural losses Mussels shell length 65mm - At least 20% of population 65mm in length Mussels shell length 30mm - At least 5% of population 30mm in length

24 Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sub Basin Plans WFD Objective - compliance with objectives for water dependent habitats and species protected under the Habitats Directive FPM - particularly sensitive to environmental pressures Catchment specific measures to supplement the Programme of Measures developed at the RBD level Article 13(5) WFD

25 Identification of key pressures Hydrological & Morphological Pressures - Overgrazing - Peat Cutting - Urban Land Use - Abstractions and Physical modifications Diffuse Pressures - Forestry - Agriculture - On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems Point Source Pressures - Municipal & Industrial Discharges - Quarries/ Mines/ Landfills/ Contaminated Land

26 Land use mapping

27 Critical Source Areas Fine Sediment

28 Agricultural Drainage

29 Septic Tanks - Risk of inadequate percolation

30 River Walks

31 Catchment Walkover

32 Sub-Basin Plans Data Collation / Fieldwork Margaritifera populations Fisheries Phytobenthos Macroinvertebrates Water Quality Macrophytes Sediment observations Morphology Walk-over risk assessment Stakeholder Consultation

33 Programmes of Measures (POMS) Linkage with River Basin Management Plans

34 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford

35 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Monitoring data has identified the following key issues: Siltation Nutrient Enrichment

36 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford

37 Licky Compliance with Regulations? Margaritifera parameter Requirement under Regulations Status in Licky Pass or Fail Adult numbers Dead shells % individual mussels under 65mm % individual mussels under 30mm Siltation level No recent decline in live adults No evidence of nonnatural dead shells (>1%) Strong decline in live adults since last survey Evidence of nonnatural dead shells (>20%) Fail Fail 20% 0% Fail 5% 0% Fail No artificially elevated levels of siltation - No silt plumes. Strong silt plumes. Average redox potential loss at 5cm = 45% (Should be <20%) Fail

38 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford

39 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Forestry (planted pre-1990)

40 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Agriculture

41 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems

42 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Priority Measures (first planning cycle) Forestry Develop Forestry Management Plan for Catchment Remove bank-side trees at the 3 key Margaritifera sites Establish riparian buffer zone of native woodland or semi natural vegetation

43 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Priority Measures (first planning cycle) Agriculture Prevent animal access at the 3 key Margaritifera sites Prevent vehicular access at the 3 key Margaritifera sites Target farm surveys in the upper catchment to ensure full compliance with Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Regulations (11 farms adjacent to river)

44 Licky Catchment, Co Waterford Priority Measures (first planning cycle) On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems Target inspections in the upper catchment There are 37 septic tanks in this area within a highly vulnerable setting

45 What research has been done? Peer Reviewed Papers Margaritifera 210 Ecology 80 Conservation 80 Genetics 13 Captive Breeding 13 Monitoring 12 Issues and Catchment management needs 11 Practical measures in the catchment (1) Picture courtesy of E Moorkens

46 Comhairle Chontae Dhún na ngall Donegal County Council Practical Implementation of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Measures THANK YOU