title: Efficacy of a multi-metric fish index as an analysis tool for the transitional fish component of the Water Framework Directive.
abstract: The WFD has introduced an international commitment to assess the ecological status of transitional waters (TWs), within which fish communities are a key biological monitoring component. The Transitional Fish Classification Index (TFCI) outlined in this paper uses 10 ecological measures to analyse fish populations caught from various ecological niches using a variety of gear types within the Thames estuary. These reach and method-specific communities are then compared to a reference population created from a 'healthy' population from TWs of a similar type. The results indicate a progressive downstream increase the quality of fish communities, consistent with previous work; variation between methods can be accounted for by gear selectivity. Overall, the TFCI is an effective communication tool for converting ecological information into an easily understood format for managers, policy makers and the general public.
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency, Rivers House, Crossness Works, Belvedere Road, Abbeywood, London SE2 9AQ, UK. steve.coates@environment-aency.gov.uk
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coates
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waugh
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004739:England; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D005843:Geography; D007391:International Cooperation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008954:Models, Biological; D011156:Population Density; D012015:Reference Standards; D045483:Rivers; D012623:Seawater; D013045:Species Specificity