Policy & Regulation
APEM have a long established record in policy and regulation formulation. As a company APEM are actively involved in
legal and liability cases acting both as expert witnesses and mediators in disputes. In addition APEM have been commissioned to undertake a number of
policy R&D projects relating to sensitive issues impacting upon fisheries and the aquatic environment. Furthermore Dr Keith Hendry and Dr Adrian E. Williams have helped shape
national policy within fisheries and the environment.
APEM are heavily involved in provision of expert witnesses in legal and liability cases both for prosecution and defence. Notable clients include the Anglers Conservation Association, British Nuclear Fuels and a number of Water Companies. Our advice and opinion are always strictly confidential and impartial, with the highest level of scientific integrity being a fundamental principal underpinning the philosophy of our company. Recent cases of particular note include a private prosecution brought by a member of the public against a major water company for a sewage related offence. A record fine for a single pollution incident accompanied the guilty verdict. In addition we have undertaken numerous expert witness assignments for the ACA, mostly resulting in out of court settlements. However, due to the firm's reputation for impartial independent advice and integrity, we are increasingly asked to assess the scale of loss, compensation and appropriate mitigation arrangements between differing parties. Examples of the latter include our work on the River Calder, the
River Lochy and the
River Hodder. There are also numerous other studies for example, drought orders where we have been appointed as independent scientists to help reach an acceptable compromise to all parties (e.g. Water Companies, Environment Agency, Fisheries Interests).
Over recent years APEM have undertaken a number of highly sensitive R&D projects designed to help resolve contentious issues or inform on future policy. These include our independent assessment for the Environment Agency on the requirement for a Close Season in Canals, ultimately resulting in the removal of the close season from the English & Welsh canal network. In addition we undertook the Agency R&D study on the Impact of Canoeing on Fish Populations, concluding that there were no deleterious impacts at the population level, hence removing this issue from the debate on fisheries and canoe access. APEM have also undertaken a number of other studies targeted at influencing internal Environment Agency Policy including the
Salmon Habitat Restoration Manual, Still Water Coarse Fish Habitat Restoration Manual, Development of Operational and Policy Guidance on the Use of Hydrogen Peroxide as a pollution alleviation tool. Other policy guidance projects include work for English Nature on developing a Guidance Policy for Fish Stocking in SAC's. We have also been involved in numerous projects relating to fish monitoring including a review of the Rolling Programme for Fisheries Monitoring for the EA NE Region, developing a policy for Monitoring Guidelines for a number of species including the three lamprey species, bullheads, spined loach, powan and char, in addition to developing English Nature's document on Ecological Requirements for Atlantic Salmon.
Dr Keith Hendry was a member of the UK Government's Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Legislative Review Committee, undertaking a root and branch review of fisheries policy, regulation, administration and funding in England & Wales. He recently also conducted a similar root and branch review of fisheries management and funding in Scotland. Dr Hendry is also Scientific Advisor to the National Federation of Anglers providing advice on policy and scientific issues relating to fisheries. In addition Dr Adrian Williams has advised the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) part of the Species Survival Commission of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) on the spread and control of invasive species. He has also worked on a review of fishery stocking practices on environmentally sensitive waters (SSSI's) within England and Wales. The work was undertaken on behalf of English Nature but now forms part of the standard process undertaken by the Environment Agency when considering requests for stocking sensitive still waters.