This protocol provides the criteria for the specialist assessment ano minimum report content requirements for impacts on aquatic17 biodiversity for activities requiring environmental authorisation. This protocol replaces the requirements of Appendix 6 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations18.

The assessment and reporting requirements of this protocol are associated with a level of environmental sensitivity identified by the national web based environmental screening tool (screening tool). The relevant aquatic biodiversity data in the screening tool has been provided by the South African National Biodiversity Institute19.

The screening tool can be accessed at: https://screening.environment.gov.za/screeningtool

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17 Aquatic is defined as inland aquatic and estuaries/estuarine systems where plants and animals live.

18 The Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, as promulgated in terms of Section 24(5) of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998).

19 The biodiversity dataset has been provided by the South African Biodiversity Institute. For details of the dataset, click on the options button to the right of the various biodiversity layers within the national web based environmental screening tool, in the Aquatic Biodiversity theme to view the metadata.