Citation, extent and commencement

1.  These Regulations-

(a)may be cited as the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2016;

(b)extend to England and Wales; and

(c)come into force on 3rd March 2016.

Amendment of the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003

2.  The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003(9) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 10.

Amendment of regulation 2 (interpretation)

3.-(1) In regulation 2(1)-

(a)in the definition of "appropriate agency", before "means" insert ", except as provided for by regulation 7A(8),";

(b)in the definition of "appropriate authority", before "means" insert ", except as provided for by regulation 7A(8),";

(c)for the definition of "environmental objectives" substitute-

""environmental objectives", in relation to a river basin district, means-

(d)after the definition of "river basin district", insert-

""shellfish" means any bivalve or gastropod mollusc;

"shellfish water objectives" means the objectives referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of environmental objectives;

"shellfish water protected area" means an area of water designated under regulation 7A(1);".

(2) In regulation 2(1A), before "statement" insert "list,"; and

(3) In regulation 2(1B), before "statement" insert "list,".

New regulation 7A (designation of shellfish waters)

4.  After regulation 7 insert-

"Designation of shellfish waters

7A.-(1) Subject to paragraph (4), the appropriate authority may designate any area of coastal or transitional water within a river basin district as a shellfish water protected area by including it in the relevant list.

(2) In relation to a shellfish water protected area which is wholly in England, the relevant list is the list entitled "Shellfish Waters (England) 2016" and dated 8th February 2016.

(3) In relation to a shellfish water protected area which is wholly in Wales, the relevant list is the list entitled "Shellfish Waters (Wales) 2016" and dated 8th February 2016.

(4) An area of coastal or transitional water may not be included in the relevant list unless the appropriate authority considers that to do so is necessary or desirable in order to protect or develop economically significant shellfish production.

(5) The appropriate authority may from time to time review each designation made under paragraph (1).

(6) The first review under this regulation must be completed by 22nd December 2021 and afterwards reviews must be completed at intervals not exceeding 6 years.

(7) The appropriate agency must ensure that the relevant list is-

(a)published on its website; and

(b)made available to the public at its principal offices.

(8) In this regulation-

"appropriate agency" means-

"appropriate authority" means-

Amendment of regulation 8 (register of protected areas)

5.  In regulation 8(2)-

(a)at the end of paragraph (a) omit "and";

(b)after paragraph (a) insert-

"(aa)a shellfish water protected area;".

Amendment of regulation 9 (monitoring)

6.  In regulation 9, after paragraph (5) insert-

"(6) The appropriate agency must maintain, in relation to each shellfish water protected area, a monitoring programme for the purposes of enabling a reliable assessment of whether the shellfish water objectives have been or will be achieved.".

Amendment of regulation 11 (river basin management plans)

7.  In regulation 11(2)-

(a)at the end of paragraph (a) omit "and";

(b)at the end of paragraph (b) insert-

"; and

(c)in relation to any shellfish water protected area, include equivalent information relating to the shellfish water objectives as is required by regulation 11(3)(d) to be included for the objectives referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of environmental objectives".

Amendment of regulation 12 (river basin management plans: public participation)

8.  In regulation 12, after paragraph (4)(f) insert-

"(fa)where any part of the river basin district contains a shellfish water protected area, the Food Standards Agency;".

Amendment of regulation 15 (river basin management plans: review)

9.  In regulation 15, for paragraph (4) substitute-

"(4) The revised plan must include (in addition to the matters required to be included by regulation 11(2)(b) and (c) and (3))-

(a)the information specified in Part B of Annex VII to the Directive (additional information for inclusion in updated river basin management plans); and

(b)in relation to any shellfish water protected area, equivalent information relating to the shellfish water objectives as is specified in Part B of Annex VII to the Directive to be included for the objectives referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of environmental objectives.".

Amendment of Schedule 2 (enactments in relation to which duties in regulation 3 apply)

10.  In Part 2 of Schedule 2, omit paragraph 12.

Revocations

11.  The following Regulations are revoked-

(a)the Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations 1997(10);

(b)the Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) (Amendment) Regulations 2009(11).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/3242) to include shellfish water protected areas. These Regulations are made due to the revocation of Directive 2006/113/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the quality required of shellfish waters (OJ No L 376, 27.12.2006, p 14), so that protections under that Directive are continued. Similar provision is being made for the Solway Tweed River Basin in a separate instrument.

The effect of these Regulations is to ensure that any necessary environmental objectives required to improve or protect the water quality of a shellfish water protected area to support shellfish life and growth are set, that monitoring in relation to such objectives takes place in those areas, and that information about them is included in the river basin management plan.

The power to designate shellfish water protected areas is provided in new regulation 7A. The Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers may designate an area within a river basin district as a shellfish water protected area by including it on a list. The list of shellfish water protected areas located in England may be obtained from, or inspected on request in writing to, the Shellfish Waters Team, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Area 3D, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, or by emailing [email protected].uk or it can be downloaded from the Department's website at www.gov.uk/defra. A copy of the Welsh list may be obtained from, or inspected on request in writing to, the Water Branch, the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ, or by emailing [email protected] or it can be downloaded from the Welsh Government's website at www.wales.gov.uk.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or business sector is foreseen.