Certain waters were designated as salmonid waters under the European Communities (Quality of Salmonid Waters) Regulations, 1988 (SI No. 293 of 1988) which transposed EU Directive 78/659/EEC, known as the Fresh Water Fish Directive. The regulations prescribed quality standards which were required to be met by the designated waters and provided for sampling, analysis of samples, register of sampling results and related matters.
The EU Directive 78/659/EEC directive conferred discretion on member states as to the waters to be designated and their designation as salmonid or as cyprinid waters. Historically the waters designated as salmonid waters by the 1988 regulations provided a good geographical spread and comprised a representative selection of such waters. They did not comprise a comprehensive inventory of salmonid and cyprinid waters given that virtually all waters in Ireland are potentially capable of supporting salmonid or cyprinid fish species.
The Fresh Water Fish Directive was subsequently repealed in 2013 and replaced with the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) which sets water quality standards and objectives for all natural waters, thereby protecting all freshwater fish species.
