Threatened aquatic species literature review of pressures

Background & Purpose The Environment Agency (EA) has a duty to conserve and enhance flora and fauna which are dependent on the aquatic environment. This nature conservation duty applies when we carry out our flood risk, water resource, waste management, pollution control, waste management, fisheries and navigation functions and our regulation of installations and radioactive substances. We have identified 256 threatened water environment species that we can support the recovery of through our day-to-day business activities when discharging these functions. Actions required include broad scale activities, such as creation, connection, and restoration of habitat, as well as reduction of pressures, including poor water and air quality, insufficient water resource and invasive non-native species. Amongst the species on our new Species Recovery List, we have identified 22 to be our Flagship Species that; • have one or more recovery actions that are not solely deliverable through broad habitat action and pressure reduction, such as species requiring reintroductions and targeted habitat management • we have the expertise and opportunity to take a key role in providing more targeted and coordinated recovery action for over the next 5 years. We need up to date reference sourced information on the sensitivities and tolerances of these species to water environment pressures to inform the Environment Agency's environmental permitting, planning advice and delivery of nature recovery actions.