Division 1.2.6 Procedure for the setting of chemical quality standards by Member States

In deriving environmental quality standards for pollutants listed in points 1 to 9 of Annex VIII for the protection of aquatic biota, Member States shall act in accordance with the following provisions. Standards may be set for water, sediment or biota.

Where possible, both acute and chronic data shall be obtained for the taxa set out below which are relevant for the water body type concerned as well as any other aquatic taxa for which data are available. The ‘base set’ of taxa are:

• algae and/or macrophytes

• daphnia or representative organisms for saline waters

• fish.