7. Conclusions and Recommendations There is a lot of work to be done to make progress towards clean and healthy freshwaters in the face of multiple local and global pressures. There is a shortage of resources available to enforce existing legislation, monitor, research and address the challenges. The UK freshwater sector is at a moment in time when there is a ground swell of public, policy and industry interest. It is thus key that those opportunities are seized in order to achieve improvements at the scale required. Projects such as this review initiated by EFF, provide an opportunity for those involved in the freshwater sector to take a step back and reflect on their priorities and pave the way for coordinated actions around a shared vision. This survey suggests that the following actions would benefit freshwaters: • Recognise and take advantage of the interconnectedness with other sectors, such as the food, leisure and water sectors. • Develop a shared, multi-sector vision for clean and healthy freshwaters. • Develop long-term evidence base of what works and what doesn’t. Create a network to share best practice and disseminate evidence across the devolved nations. • Invest in long term and large-scale commitments. • Include and inform stakeholders and other freshwater actors in any new initiative. • Develop training opportunities to retain skills and expertise within the sector. • Encourage and expand public understanding of freshwaters and our impact on them.
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