Legal Protection of Ichthyofauna in Natura 2000 Sites in Poland: A Case Study of an Ecological Disaster in the Oder River

Abstract

In EU legislation, the protection of ichthyofauna as an element of diversity takes place in the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. The purpose of the article is to present the legal status and legal instruments for the protection of ichthyofauna in Natura 2000 sites in the EU and Poland. The considerations were undertaken in the context of the ecological disaster in the Oder River. Analyzing the legal status of ichthyofauna protection, strengths and weaknesses were identified. The former include the establishment of a network of Natura 2000 sites, categories of priority species, strict, active and in situ species protection, prohibitions on fishing, trade and habitat destruction, and a program for the restoration and protection of fish stocks. However, a problematic issue has been the lack of procedures for dealing with threats to ichthyofauna, as exemplified by the ecological disaster in the Oder River. Although a law has been passed to revitalize the Oder River, it focuses on investments to regulate the riverbed and not on restoring the state of ichthyofauna and natural habitats.