Impact case study database

1) The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) advises the UK Government on UK and international nature conservation. The JNCC “Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Freshwater Fauna Monitoring Protocols (2015)” [A] is used by conservation and regulatory agencies to determine the status of ‘conservation fish’ species and whether their populations meet UK and EU regulatory requirements. HIFI’s research established survey and testing methodologies to produce standard protocols for seven fish species of conservation concern, five of which are highlighted in the references to the research [1-3, 7-11]. HIFI research contributed significantly to the standard survey and monitoring protocols in the JNCC policy. Cowx, Harvey and Nunn also served on an August 2014 panel of fisheries experts from UK conservation and regulatory agencies that reviewed the lamprey population assessment methodologies which shaped the JNCC protocols for lamprey analysis and monitoring. The key HIFI contributions to the JNCC process were recognised extensively in the JNCC Common Standards Monitoring (CSM) document [A], which directly cites HIFI’s contributions as follows:

Protocol 5 – For Atlantic salmon: “ The general approach in this protocol is broadly similar to Cowx and Fraser (2003)” (p.44); “ Cowx and Fraser (2003) list the range of environmental variables and catch data that should be recorded at each sampling site, regardless of the survey method employed” (p.45).

Protocol 7 – For Brook, river and sea lamprey: “ This protocol is based on a report produced as part of the LIFE in UK Rivers Project (Harvey and Cowx 2003)” (p.56); Harvey and Cowx (2003) is also quoted (p.67); and Cowx, Harvey and Nunn are credited with providing additional advice on the 2014 expert panel: “The UK conservation agencies are indebted to these people for their advice” (p.65).

Protocol 8 – For Bullhead: “Section 2 outlines how to undertake monitoring surveys where bullhead is the target species (based on Cowx and Harvey 2003)” (p.77); “The survey area may be smaller depending on the level of historical densities in the tributary. See Cowx and Harvey (2003) for further guidance” (p.77); “A statistical method for selecting a suitable number of sites is detailed in Cowx and Harvey (2003)” (p.78), with Cowx and Harvey (2003) also quoted (p.78).

HIFI’s research therefore shaped key areas of the JNCC CSM policy document: providing UK and Ireland government agencies with scientifically robust protocols to assess the status of ‘conservation fish’ species. These standards also met UK and EU statutory reporting requirements. As a result, UK conservation agencies possessed sufficient, legally-recognised monitoring evidence to inform and implement policies to ensure sustainable fish populations.

Examples of HIFI research impacting upon additional conservation agencies include:

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the statutory agency responsible for inland fisheries in Ireland (within the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE)). HIFI’s research on lampreys was credited by IFI in the National Programme: Habitats Directive and Red Data Book Fish Species (2019) report [B] which functions to “fulfil legal obligations of our Fisheries Minister in regard to undertaking monitoring and surveillance of the fish species listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive”. The report states:

“A semi-quantitative sample was taken at each site by electrofishing for 2 minutes in a defined area (1 m²) of suitable nursery habitat comprising silty deposits (after Harvey & Cowx 2003).” and “Of particular interest is the process of status assessment for larval lamprey. An important guidance document was provided by Harvey and Cowx (2003) covering this area and it has provided a basis for reporting for the Habitats team” (p.7 and p.67).

IFI’s Senior Research Officer further states [C]:

“In excess of 2,400 individual sites have been sampled for larval lamprey via Harvey and Cowx (2003)… I would suggest that HIFI has done all of us in the lamprey world a great service in generating the protocols as described in Harvey and Cowx (2003) and I envisage us continuing to use the procedure within IFI into the future”.

Site Condition Monitoring is a Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH, now named NatureScot) rolling programme to monitor the special features of protected areas, including their condition, their management, and any wider environmental factors which contribute to their condition. HIFI’s underpinning research on lampreys was recognised as the standard methodology used by SNH to provide site condition lamprey monitoring across all Scottish Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), including Endrick Water Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) [D]. HIFI’s research thus ensured SNH could undertake site condition monitoring to the required standard for reporting to the EU [D]. The SNH report [D] credits HIFI’s research:

“The survey consisted of electrofishing optimal or sub-optimal habitat within 100 m long stretches of river (Harvey and Cowx, 2003). Quantitative samples were collected by depletion fishing within net frames (quadrats) as described by Harvey and Cowx (2003).” (p.2 and p.3).

In addition, NatureScot’s Freshwater Adviser (Geodiversity Group) states [E]:

“Credible population data are the backbone of meaningful site condition assessments. These data can be derived only by the application of well researched, robust, and repeatable methods; the work undertaken by the University [of Hull] has been instrumental in the successful evaluation of sites designated for one or more species of lamprey in Scotland, and has indirectly informed remedial management measures.”

Natural England (NE) provides advice to the UK government on natural environments and resources and has a wide remit of other roles and responsibilities [F]. NE is required by EU legislation to report on species conservation status in freshwaters, and to deliver this role it uses the JNCC CSM (2015) guidance [A]. Therefore, HIFI research allows NE to fulfil its legal requirement to report to UK and EU governments. NE’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries Specialist states [F]:

“The provision of evidence for the suitability of the various monitoring protocols provided by HIFI has enabled Natural England to fulfill both their statutory and advisory roles when reporting to, and informing, the UK Government.”

The Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre (SFCC) is an association of 23 Fisheries Trusts, the Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). It provides evidenced-based management of freshwater fisheries in Scotland. To standardise the collection of fisheries data by its members, the SFCC adopted a range of monitoring protocols including the ‘key underpinning research’ of Harvey and Cowx (2003) for lamprey monitoring [G]. The SFCC’s Manager and Senior Biologist (Forth Rivers Trust) / Chair states [H]:

“SFCC members follow these protocols adhering to UK standardized approaches to fisheries monitoring and assessment at the highest possible level for reporting under European Union (EU) Habitats Directive and Water Framework Directive (WFD). One such protocol adopted by SFCC, and its members, is the EU LIFE lamprey monitoring protocol (Harvey & Cowx, 2003) which was key underpinning research on lamprey for the Joint Nature Conservation Council (2015) Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Freshwater Fauna… The protocol has been useful in Scotland in delivering compliance with the EU Habitats Directive and provides benefit to our members who are often required to quantify larval lamprey communities to ensure their protection during developments involving in-channel works. To our knowledge, it is the only widely accepted standard method available and we have found it very useful.”

In summary HIFI’s research on fish conservation species contributed significantly to the development of the JNCC CSM (2015) guidance and its subsequent successful application in the UK and Ireland by government conservation agencies. This application of HIFI’s research ensures the UK and Ireland use a robust, rigorous and standardised survey approach to meet reporting requirements for ‘conservation species’ for UK and EU governments.

2) The second strand of our impact arises from HIFI’s research for the UK Environment Agency, which developed a clear understanding of the water flow and level requirements needed for rivers to sustain coarse fish and ‘conservation fish’ species [4-5, 12]. The UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) on the Water Framework Directive (WFD) makes recommendations to the UK and Republic of Ireland Governments on implementing the WFD. The UKTAG (December 2013) policy outlines a consistent method for designing appropriate flow regimes across the UK (and for flow regimes that also comply with the EU WFD). HIFI’s work was integral to the UKTAG (2013) policy: River Flow for Good Ecological Potential. This document [I] outlined recommendations “to help UKTAG’s member agencies design appropriate mitigation flow regimes for good ecological potential in heavily modified rivers”. The document [I] states:

“In developing guidance on the different flow building blocks, we have considered current scientific knowledge of the flows required: by fish species, including coarse fish, salmonids and lamprey” [the report cites: “Cowx et al. 2004, Noble et al., 2004, Cowx et al. 2012]. HIFI work is noted as providing “current scientific knowledge of the flows required by fish species” [I] (page 6, footnote 14).

The UKTAG (2013) report impacts upon organisations subject to the regulatory requirements of the EU WFD, namely UK and Republic of Ireland governments, water companies and water abstractors. An appropriate example is Yorkshire Water (YW), a major water company in England, that utilises the UKTAG (2013) policy to manage its water resources. YW also contract HIFI to help them to address their UK/EU regulatory and environmental targets better.

YW funded HIFI research to identify how flows and habitats associated with reservoirs can be managed more comprehensively to enhance fisheries and ensure the resilience of fish populations (despite increasing pressure for water resources) [6, 13]. HIFI’s research ensured that YW met regulatory requirements by improving 9.39 km of rivers for fish populations, thus avoiding statutory financial penalties to YW of over £1 million. The research also improved brown trout populations and habitat in these rivers. The impact also led to water savings of 57 million litres per annum, ensuring the increased resilience of water supply and savings to YW, and potential financial savings to YW customers [J]. Evidence of HIFI’s impact for YW is provided by their Environmental Assessment Manager who states [J]:

“In summary, HIFI’s research for YW has provided considerable impact by helping YW meet regulatory requirements while protecting the environment and providing water resources for the people and businesses of the Yorkshire region”.