Water, Marine & Fisheries

Our Work

IEEP has a long track record of examining the challenges in the implementation of water, marine and fisheries legislation, primarily the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Common Fisheries Policy.

Our fisheries and marine work has a track record of analysing and commenting on the evolution of EU fisheries policies and related marine environmental initiatives for over 16 years. We have undertaken a number of projects and studies on specific areas such as fisheries governance, management and subsidies; policies and instruments to tackle marine litter pollution; and establishing, implementing and funding marine protected areas.

IEEP undertakes a wide range of work on EU water policy, focusing on the Water Framework Directive, but also on the many ‘supporting’ Directives. Our work includes highly influential projects for the Commission, such as supporting development of the Water Blueprint, Fitness Check and supporting the Common Implementation Strategy.  

Regarding work in this area, please contact Stephanie Newman.

Latest in Water, Marine & Fisheries

  • The Manual: Chapter 5 - Water and marine

    This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. In this chapter the development of EU water pollution policy is explored, including the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and other directives and policies covering flooding; water scarcity; and dangerous substances in water.

  • The Manual: Chapter 12 - Funding instruments

    This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. This chapter sets out the EU's main funding instruments that have environmental implications, including the European Agriculture funds, the European Fisheries Fund and the Structural and Cohesion funds.

  • The Manual: Chapter 13 - Sectoral policies

    This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. This chapter sets out the development of some of the most important links between EU environmental policy and other policy areas, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transport, trade, and so on.

  • Challenges of achieving good environmental status in the Black Sea

    Achieving Good Environmental Status in the Black Sea is particularly challenging due to governance structure. This paper explores this in relation to eutrophication and fisheries management.

  • Guidelines for biodiversity proofing the EU budget

    This report provides a practical framework to ensure that spending under the EU budget has no negative impacts on biodiversity, and that spending under the EU budget is overall supportive to achieving the biodiversity targets.

  • Greener Britain: Practical proposals for party manifestos from the environment and conservation sector

    A coalition of the UK’s leading environmental groups, including IEEP, is calling for all political parties to commit to a greener Britain by 2020 by pledging seven major priorities to reform the way we use energy, build communities and protect nature.

  • Environmental policy and the UK’s review of the EU Balance of Competences

    The UK Government’s Balance of Competences review has now taken evidence on 25 subject areas, including the 6 with the most relevance for the Environment. We take stock of the IEEP’s contributions, and consider what a possible UK renegotiation might mean for the environment.

  • 40 years of cooperation in protecting the Baltic Sea

    IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen gave a presentation at the Helsinki Convention (HELCOM) Jubilee Session on the understanding and valuation of marine ecosystem services, Helsinki, 5 Mar 2014.

  • Inland fisheries and the Common Fisheries Policy

    The reformed fisheries policy could lead to improvements in the state of commercial inland fisheries, if the measures are properly implemented, with the greatest potential coming from the strengthening of community-led local development.

  • Winter 2014 Newsletter - A Question of Targets

    The latest edition of IEEP’s newsletter is now available.

  • Natural Capital Accounting and Water Quality: Commitments, Benefits, Needs and Progress

    A new IEEP briefing note discusses progress and challenges of water quality accounts in the context of natural capital accounting.

  • Enhancing enforcement obligations for EU environmental law

    A new study examines the challenge Member States face in ensuring inspection and enforcement of EU environmental law and considers the option of a new horizontal law to strengthen these requirements.

  • Understanding and valuing ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea

    IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen outlined key perspectives on the valuation of coastal and marine ecosystem services in a regional workshop on the Valuation of Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services in the Baltic Sea, Stockholm (7-8 Nov 2013)

  • Assessing Scotland’s progress on the environmental agenda

    How much progress is Scotland making on the environmental agenda? Can Scotland fulfill its growing aspirations to become an environmental front runner in Europe? This new report explores these questions in relation to the farmed environment, Marine Protection Areas and climate mitigation.

  • How to improve EU legislation to tackle marine litter

    This study analyses many different pieces of EU legislation to determine their relevance to marine litter, examinine their deficiencies and gaps, and propose options for improvement. Generally the gaps consist of the need for better implementation and enforcement, and increased ambition of current requirements.

  • Reducing ship generated marine litter

    The Port Reception Facilities Directive requires ships to discharge their waste to dedicated port reception facilities in the EU, but illegal discharges at sea of ship generated waste still take place. This report recommends ways to improve the Directive.

  • Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture

    Can sustainable management of natural resources in Europe’s agricultural sector contribute to sustainable water use? What other sectors have a role to play in significantly improving water use across Europe and what are the good practices and tools that are available? A new report for the European Parliament explores these questions.

  • Does the EU benefit the UK environment?

    This report considers how environmental policy in the EU effects the UK and looks at some alternatives. Overall the impact within the environmental domain can be judged to be strongly positive to the UK. The action taken has been well balanced, with benefits for human health and welfare and the sustainability of the economy as well as the environment itself.

  • Summer newsletter - CAP: Starting on a new track

    The latest edition of IEEP's quarterly newsletter is now available. Read how IEEP continues to push forward the future of biofuels policy, plus reactions to the latest CAP agreements, and much more…

  • Biodiversity proofing of the EU budget

    This study shows how more can be done to firstly avoid and minimize detrimental impacts of EU funding on biodiversity, and secondly to increase biodiversity benefits.