Áine O Connor National Parks and Wildlife Service Ireland Integration of conservation objectives into WFD objectives in Ireland: hard water lakes and the freshwater pearl mussel base poor – but the catchments of each do contain other habitats and species of biodiversity importance marl lakes with charophyte (Habitat 3140) Margaritifera margaritifera (Species 1029) Áine O Connor National Parks and Wildlife Service Ireland

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government WFD National Parks and Wildlife Service

WFD in Ireland 1st cycle 2nd cycle 8 RBDs and RBMPs Plans written by consultants Co-ordinated by national groups 2nd cycle 2 year delay 1 RBD and plan Written by Irish EPA

Nature Directives in Ireland 165 SPAs 430 SACs 45 of 58 Annex I habitats are water-dependent 22 of 25 Annex II species

Nature Directives in Ireland Current priority work for NPWS Monitoring and reporting Completion of formal designation Site-specific Conservation Objectives (SSCO)

Site-specific Conservation Objectives (SSCO) Objective – parameter – attribute – target Article 17 parameters Range Area/Population Structure and Functioning Maintain/restore

Hard water lakes Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp. (habitat code 3140) 18 SACs in Ireland

Margaritifera margaritifera

Margaritifera margaritifera conservation objectives Parameter Attribute 1 1 Range 1.1 Distribution 2 Population 2.1 Population size   2.2 Population structure:  3 Habitat for the species 3.1 Suitable habitat: 3.2 Water quality 3.3 Substratum quality 3.4 Hydrological regime 3.5 Host fish 3.6 Fringing habitat Natural ecosystem functioning

WFD Metrics & EQRs/objectives/standards Parameter Attribute 1  2 Population 2.2 Population structure: 2.2.1 recruitment   2.2.2 adult mortality 3 Habitat for the species 3.1 Suitable habitat: 3.1.1 extent 3.1.2 condition 3.2 Water quality: 3.2.1 macroinvertebrates 3.2.2 phytobenthos (diatoms) 3.3 Substratum quality: 3.3.1 filamentous algae (macroalgae) 3.3.2 macrophytes (rooted higher plants) 3.3.3 sediment 3.3.4oxygen availability WFD Metrics & EQRs/objectives/standards

Margaritifera margaritifera and WFD High status objective WFD status Legal requirement to downgrade to ‘less than good ecological status’

Margaritifera margaritifera conservation condition and WFD macroinvertebrate metric Good status High status

Margaritifera margaritifera conservation measures WFD draft SBMPs 1st cycle (2009-15)

Margaritifera margaritifera conservation measures KerryLIFE (c. 50 farmers with farm plans, measures in conifer plantations) RDP scheme Focus on 8 priority populations

Margaritifera margaritifera – natural ecosystem functioning

Margaritifera margaritifera – natural ecosystem functioning

Conclusions WFD focus on status /risk (rather than objectives) status has very narrow/specific meaning Unclear benefits from achieving ‘good’ or ‘high’ status

Conclusions Integrated implementation needs: At site level, clear, co-ordinated objectives based on natural ecosystem function At regional/national level, strategic priorities and practical time frames.

The Margaritifera experts Acknowledgements The Margaritifera experts

Vegetation Hard water lakes dominated by charophytes distinctive zonation

Vegetation Hard water lakes dominated by charophytes distinctive zonation Krustenstein

Groundwater a key driver Hard water lakes Vegetation dominated by charophytes distinctive zonation Krustenstein Low cover of vascular plants Groundwater a key driver

Hard water lake conservation objectives Parameter Attribute 1 1 Area 1.1 Habitat area 2 Range 2.1 Habitat distribution 3 Structure and functions 3.1 Vegetation composition:   3.2 Vegetation distribution: 3.3 Hydrological regime: 3.4 Lake substratum quality 3.5 Water quality: 3.6 Acidification status 3.7 Water colour 3.8 Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9 Turbidity 3.10 Fringing habitat Natural ecosystem functioning

Hard water lake conservation objectives Parameter Attribute 1 1 Area 1.1 Habitat area 2 Range 2.1 Habitat distribution 3 Structure and functions 3.1 Vegetation composition:   3.2 Vegetation distribution: 3.3 Hydrological regime: 3.4 Lake substratum quality 3.5 Water quality: 3.6 Acidification status 3.7 Water colour 3.8 Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9 Turbidity 3.10 Fringing habitat WFD Metrics & EQRs/objectives/standards

Hard water lake conservation objectives and WFD 2nd cycle Parameter Attribute 1 Attribute 2  3 Structure and functions 3.5 Water quality: 3.5.1 transparency   3.5.2 nutrients 3.5.3 phytoplankton biomass 3.5.4 phytoplankton composition 3.5.6 attached algal biomass 3.5.7 macrophyte status 3.6 Acidification status

The Chara (and Crust) Crew Acknowledgements The Chara (and Crust) Crew