Minutes of 13 th Meeting of the WFD Co-ordination Group, 3 September, 2002 held at Custom House Dublin 1 Attended: Mr David Moore (DELG) - Chair Mr Gerry Flannery (DELG) Mr Tim Morris (DELG) Mr Andy Bogie (DELG) Mr Jim Ryan (DELG Dúchas) Dr Paul Toner (EPA) Dr Matt Crowe (EPA) Mr Larry Stapleton (EPA) Ms Eva Cahill (EPA) Apologies: Mr John Sadlier (DELG) Mr Pat Duggan (DELG) Mr Connor Barry (DELG) Dr Liz Sides (Heritage Council) Mr Peter Britton (LGCSB) Mr Geoff Wright (GSI) Mr Tom Quinlivan (DAF) Ms Jacqui Doyle (MI) Mr Trevor Champ (CFB) Mr Greg Forde (WRFB) Dr Colin Byrne (SERBMP) Mr Tom Bolger (OPW) Mr Gearóid O Rian (Compass Informatics) Mr Angus Mc Robert (EHS NI) Mr Matt Sinnot (DAF) Ms Margaret Keegan (EPA) Dr Connor Clenaghan (EPA) Introduction Mr Moore (Chair) introduced himself to the Group and also welcomed Dr Colin Byrne, Project Co-ordinator for the South East River Basin Management Project, who will also be attending future meetings of the Group. 1. Adoption of Agenda Agenda adopted subject to slight change to item 10 (splitting into a and b to refer to N-S TAG and N-S WGWQ). 2. Minutes Minutes adopted subject to minor amendment. 3. Matters arising from the Minutes Mr Moore suggested that the action points summary be referred to at the end of each agenda item as the minutes largely mirror the agenda. 1
4. Presentation of Draft EU GIS Guidance Mr Britton gave a presentation on the recent Draft EU Guidance Documents (copies of which are available on the private website). A short discussion followed: Ms Doyle said that it is important that a national database exists to allow for harmonised reporting to the Commission from separate agencies. Mr Mc Robert said that there would be issues of ownership due to the large numbers of agencies supplying information. Mr Britton said that he expects this to become an issue following publication of the final EU Guidance Documents on GIS. 5. Update on Activities of Working Groups Typology / Characterisation / Reference Conditions Lakes Dr Toner said the work of this Group is ongoing. Most of the work is continuing via research projects on typology and reference conditions. EPA and EHS are studying the effect of latitude on reference conditions which may result in biological differences between Lakes in the far North compared to those in the far South. Rivers Dr Toner said the work of this Group is progressing in a similar way to the Lakes Group. Assessments are being compared using the standard Q System. Mr Moore asked if the draft typology on rivers is now complete. Dr Toner confirmed that it is and needs to be tested, as some of the types will become redundant. Dr Byrne asked if the RBMP could use the current draft typology until revisions at a later date. Mr Moore said that the RBMP are to use the best available information. Mr Champ said that the fisheries boards are experiencing funding difficulties which will impact on their ability to identify typologies. Action 1 Draft River Typology to be tested 2
Transitional and Coastal Waters Ms Doyle said that there had been no action in the summer but work is now re-starting. The SNIFFER project is up and running with a delivery date of January 2003. Good progress is being made on the desk studies, which should be completed by the end of November 2002. Mr Stapleton said that the Draft EU Guidance document on Transitional and Coastal Waters is now available for comment. Dr Toner said Mr Cunningham would be attending the Ireland/UK Working Group on the 4 September 2002. Action 2 Comments on the Draft EU Guidance Documents and Transitional and Coastal Waters to be submitted to Mr Cunningham Groundwater Mr Wright said work has resumed again after the summer. Mr Wright attended the EAF meeting in Brussels on the Daughter Directive on Groundwater. Some progress has been made however further clarification on the identification of groundwater bodies is still required. Pressures and Impacts Ms Cahill said the European Guidance Documents are at an advanced stage. The Draft Guidance Documents are expected to be circulated late September/early October 2002. Action 3 Draft EU Guidance Documents on Pressures and Impacts to be circulated late September/early October 2002. Economic Analysis Mr Flannery said that the final version of the EU Guidance Documents on Economic Analysis are now available for download on the private side of the WFD website. Fish Stock Assessment Mr Champ said he attended the SNIFFER workshop in Edinburgh in August 2002. The problem of finding a standard methodology for fish stock assessment is repeated across all of the member states. Mr Forde said fisheries services are competent at assessing fish stock at Q5 sites but are experiencing difficulties in slower rivers where the methodology becomes more complex. Mr Champ said that useful information is emerging from the EPA post doctorate Q value project. 3
Mr Champ says the focus of the group at the moment is getting the database up to date. Much of the data already exists in paper form and this has to be transferred into electronic form. The human and financial resource problems remain in regards to the assessments of rivers and lakes. Action 4 Existing paper data on fish stock assessment to be transferred into electronic form Geographical Information Systems, IT Compatibility Ms Cahill said that the final EU and National GIS guidance documents have been posted on the public and private sides of the WFD website in August 2002. A CD ROM version is also available (Ms Cahill circulated this at the meeting). Dr Crowe said that most accessible part of the national guidance to read would be the Synthesis Report. A first meeting of the National GIS Working Group will be held this afternoon to consider the best way of bringing forward the findings of the guidance documents. Action 5 First meeting to be held in the afternoon (03-09-02) to consider the best ways to bring forward the findings of the EU and National GIS Guidance documents. Public Participation Mr Flannery said the DELG is supporting a project that is being coordinated by VOICE on NGO inclusion in the implementation of the WFD. A report is expected to be available soon. Mr Noel Casserly is acting secretary of COMHAR and he will be invited to attend WFD Co-ordination Group Meetings in an observer capacity. Dr Byrne said local media advertisements have been placed in the South East River Basin District requesting expressions of interest from NGO s. A number have already replied and a meeting is to be held soon for all those who have expressed an interest. Progress on this is expected towards the end of 2002. Action 6 Mr Flannery to invite Mr Noel Casserly (COMHAR) to attend Co-ordination Group Meetings in an observer capacity 4
Action 7 Dr Byrne to hold a meeting towards end of 2002 with all NGO s who expressed an interest in participating in the SERBMP 6. Register of Protected Areas Mr Stapleton said he circulated the draft report at the 12 th meeting of the WFD Co-ordination Group (on 18 June 2002). No feedback has been received yet but it is still welcome. The author of the report Mr Askman has now returned to the Swedish EPA. The work of information gathering is still on going. Action 8 Feedback on the Draft Report on the Register of Protected Areas to be submitted to Mr Stapleton 7. Research Development Mr Stapleton said that all the project areas have been advertised (three groundwater projects, two river projects, a lakes project, a protected areas project and a modelling project). There has been a successful outcome to all of these advertisements and letters will be sent out this week to successful applicants. Hopefully all of the projects should be up and running soon. The majority of the projects are 6 month desk studies with one running for 18 months. Action 9 EPA to issue letters to successful applicants for the research projects 8. Update on Activities of the Hydrology Group Mr Stapleton said that no work had been done over the summer but he expects it to be up and running again by October 2002. 9. Abstractions Mr Moore said that there is nothing new to report. Mr Moore noted that this issue is also being addressed by the NS-TAG. 10a. N-S TAG Mr McRobert said the group met on 26 July 2002 and will be meeting again on 12 September 2002. Recommendations on IRBDs have been made by NS-TAG to the N-S WGWQ. The need for a gap analysis and scoping study has been identified. Proposals for a technical secretary to assist NS-TAG will be pursued. 5
10b. N-S WGWQ Mr Mc Robert said maps have been produced on IRBD delineation by NS- TAG and agreed by NS-WGWQ. A consultation exercise will be undertaken with the aim of introducing the concept of IRBDs to stakeholders and members of the public. Progress has been made in making submissions for INTERREG 3 funding of the cross-border IRBDs. 11. UK Developments Mr McRobert said that two technical consultation documents has been launched in the UK. The Environment Agency for England and Wales has launched, WFD: Consultation on Technical Annexes 2 and 5, and The Scottish EPA has launched, Guiding Principles on the Technical Requirements of the WFD. DEFRA has also published consultation documents on the legal aspects of the WFD. Most of the current work is focusing on ensuring the CIS projects are completed. 12. Other Developments River Basin Management Projects Mr Flannery said that the SERBMP is progressing. Approval of proposals on the Shannon River Basin Project are expected soon. Proposal from the East and West are expected soon. The proposals for IRBD delineation will be forwarded to N-S Ministerial Council in November 2002 for approval in principle, subject to public consultation. Dr Byrne asked if each working group could make available a schedule of output in order to aid individual River Basin Management Projects. Mr Flannery will consider this in terms of making such available on the private website. Action 10 Proposals on delineation of IRBD to be submitted by NS-WGWQ to the N-S Ministerial Council in November 2002. Action 11 Mr Flannery to consider ways of providing a schedule of output of the Working Groups that could be referred to via the website by the individual River Basin Management Projects Good Agricultural Practice (Waste, Water Quality, Nitrates etc) 6
Mr Morris said consultations have taken place with all of the interest groups with regard to the Information Paper and the implementation of the Nitrates Directive. The Minister will report back to Government on the approach to implementation (a whole territory approach is preferred). Meanwhile the report of the Advocate General and the ECJ Judgement is awaited on the Nitrates case. Dangerous Substance (ECJ Court Case, pollution prevention/reduction programmes Mr Morris said that ECJ proceedings began at the end of July 2002 on alleged non-implementation of aspects of the Dangerous Substances Directive. Ireland has until 25 November 2002 to submit its defence. WQS, compilation of data from catchment based and RBD projects etc Mr Moore said that the deadlines faced by the individual RBMPs and the implementation of the WFD are different. RBMPs should proceed using the best available data. 13. Next Meeting Thursday 31 October 2002 14. AOB Mr Flannery asked the group if they had any objections to the minutes of the meetings being posted on the private side of the WFD Website. It was agreed that this should be done subject to future minutes being approved by the Group. Action 12 Minutes of the WFD Co-ordination Group to be posted on the private side of the WFD Website following approval of minutes by the Group 7
Summary of Action Points Action 1 Draft River Typology to be tested Action 2 Comments on the Draft EU Guidance Documents an Transitional and Coastal Water to be submitted to Mr Cunningham Action 3 Draft EU Guidance Documents on Pressures and Impacts to be circulated late September/early October 2002. Action 4 Existing paper data on fish stock assessment to be transferred into electronic form Action 5 First meeting of the National GIS Working Group to be held in the afternoon (03-09-02) to consider the best ways to bring forward the findings of the EU and National GIS guidance documents. Action 6 Mr Flannery to invite Mr Noel Casserly (COMHAR) to be attend Co-ordination Group Meetings in an observer capacity Action 7 Dr Byrne (Project Co-ordination, SERBDMP) to hold a meeting towards end of 2002 with all NGO s who expressed an interest in participating in the SERBMP Action 8 Feedback on the Draft Report on the Register of Protected Areas to be submitted to Mr Stapleton Action 9 EPA to issue letters to successful applicants for the research projects Action 10 Proposals on delineation of IRBDs to be submitted by NS- WGWQ to the N-S Ministerial Council in November 2002. Action 11 Mr Flannery to consider ways of providing a schedule of output of the Working Groups that could be referred to via the website by the individual River Basin Management Projects Action 12 Minutes of the WFD Co-ordination Group to be posted on the private side of the WFD Website following approval of minutes by the Group 8