The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published the third cycle River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) 2021 – 2027.
The plan gives an overview of Northern Ireland’s water bodies and environmental objectives for 2027.
It also provides information about the programme of measures for the third cycle RBMP to address the pressures acting upon the water environment.
The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir said: “Publication of the plan fulfils an overdue statutory duty and is further to on ongoing and tangible action set out in the Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan, and the Environmental Improvement Plan for Northern Ireland.
“It is important to acknowledge that, owing to the absence of ministers and functioning institutions, significant time was lost, and this plan is now being published towards the end of the third cycle, which runs from 2021 to 2027.”
“Whilst we continue to deliver the actions within this plan, focus is already upon the development of the fourth cycle plan, which must be ambitious and progressed in consultation with stakeholders in a timely manner,” the minister added.
The key measures outlined in the plan relate to the reduction of nutrients.
Other measures in the plan relate to chemicals and pesticides, abstraction, fisheries and morphology, invasive alien species, forestry and waste and contaminated land.
Minister Muir said: “It is only by working together that we, as a society and a community, can both minimise and ultimately reverse the damage that has been done.
“It is my vision that our water bodies are at ‘good’ status or better and support biodiversity and a sustainable economy, contributing to the health and well-being of everyone,” the minister added.
DAERA
Separately, DAERA has issued a final call for all unregistered farm businesses to sign up for the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS).
The scheme, first launched in 2022, is managed by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
Farmers in zone four (Co. Antrim) are invited to apply for registration from Monday, June 16. Farmers in zone one, two and three who have not yet registered are also invited to apply.
This final round of registrations will close on Monday, September 1, 2025.
