The Shellfish Directive seeks to maintain water quality sufficient for shellfish and the Fish Water Directive is designed to support:
- salmonids – salmon and trout
- cypinids – coarse fish, including pike and perch, as well as eels
France has failed to provide all the information – due in September 1996 – required by the EC regarding plans to implement the two directives. As a result, the EC has been impeded in its work to publish an EU-wide report on the directives’ implementation and has issued a Reasoned Opinion.
Both the Shellfish and the Fish Water Directives follow the same process of implementation, that includes:
- designation of relevant waters
- setting of binding water quality standards for the designated areas
- adoption of pollution reduction programmes
- periodic monitoring