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Fewer than half of all bodies of water are in good condition
The European goal of achieving good status for all bodies of water?originally set for 2015 and then postponed to 2027?will not be met. According to data cited by the Court of Auditors, Only 44% of water bodies are in good or very good ecological condition .
Among the main causes of degradation, diffuse pollution from agricultural sources is the leading source of pressure on groundwater and the second-leading source of pressure on surface water, behind the artificial modification of watercourses. The situation is all the more concerning given that nitrate concentrations have plateaued or even begun to rise again since 2017.
Another telling figure: since 1980, 14,640 water intake facilities used for drinking water production have been closed . One-third of these closures are due to deteriorating water quality, and in more than 40 percent of these cases, to excessive concentrations of nitrates or pesticides.
A water enforcement agency with limited resources
Given these considerable challenges, the resources available seem modest. The Court estimates that approximately 1,560 full-time equivalents are dedicated to water law enforcement in the broadest sense, to carry out investigative and monitoring duties.
The Court emphasizes that the stability?or even reduction?in staffing levels in certain departments limits, in particular, the time available to monitor non-compliance and follow up on violations.
The situation is similar with regard to financial resources. The annual budget allocated to water enforcement is estimated at 130 million euros , including payroll costs, compared with approximately 24 billion euros spent each year on water policy as a whole. The damage caused by the various uses of this resource is estimated at approximately 5 billion euros per year .
Rules that are too complex and sometimes inconsistent
The Court of Auditors also highlights a problem well known to those working in the field: the complexity of regulations. A single watercourse can thus change its regulatory status when it crosses a departmental boundary. In some areas, up to four different sets of regulations may apply simultaneously to the same stretch of a watercourse.
In the Court?s view, this situation leads to confusion and inequality and requires a clarification of the law.
She also points out the contradictions between environmental and agricultural policies. In particular, the inspections associated with the Common Agricultural Policy are considered too perfunctory and limited to a small number of farms, without ensuring effective protection of the resource.
A Major Challenge for Fishermen
Behind the administrative issue of water policing lies a matter that directly affects The Future of Fish Populations and Recreational Fishing . Pollution, changes to waterways, habitat destruction, excessive water withdrawals, and droughts affect fish reproduction, growth, and sometimes survival.
The Court of Auditors? conclusion is particularly strong. In response to the three main questions raised in its assessment (adaptation of the law and organizational structure, adequacy of resources, and effectiveness of controls), it states in the negative . It believes that water enforcement ?is not carried out satisfactorily? and, under these conditions, cannot fully achieve the expected results regarding the quality of water bodies.
For fishermen, who are often direct witnesses to changes in rivers and aquatic environments, this report serves above all as a reminder of something obvious: The key to the long-term protection of fish lies first and foremost in protecting the water and their habitats.
