Reporting environmental incidents (including agricultural malpractice and wildlife crime) to the Department

This page signposts members of the public to guidance on how to report environmental incidents, including agricultural malpractice or wildlife crime.
Provided below are various types of environmental incidents that members of the public may encounter and may wish to report to the Department and / or to other authorities. Links are provided to signpost to relevant guidance.

Any ongoing water pollution incidents please call immediately any time, day or night, the water pollution hotline 0800 80 70 60.
Non urgent water pollution issues can be reported to the following email address: emergency-pollution@daera-ni.gov.uk

Archaeological disturbance

Please refer to Department of Communities advice, see link. For an interactive Map Viewer of environmentally designated areas please visit the Historic Environment Map Viewer.

Note, that if the incident relates to agricultural land, then it may also be a breach of Cross- Compliance requirements (please see below).

Cross-Compliance incidents

Incidents may involve the failure of farmers / agriculturalists / land owners to adhere to specific good practice. Incidents may involve: damage to archaeological sites; cutting of hedgerows during the bird breeding season; pollution run-off from agricultural holdings, etc.

For further information and for advice on how to report such suspected incidents, please click here.

Damage to habitats

This area is covered by a number of different pieces of legislations.

If the works relate to:

Environmentally designated areas (i.e. Areas of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas), then please contact NIEA. For more information click here. For an interactive Map Viewer of environmentally designated areas please visit the Natural Environment Map Viewer.
Agricultural improvement of seminatural areas or uncultivated land, then EIA (Agriculture) Regulations will be applied. For more information see link, but note that incidents should be reported through the ‘CrossCompliance incidents’ section above.
Planned developments, extraction of peat, mineral or soil, then Planning (EIA) will be applied. For more information, contact your local council.
Removal of forests and woodlands, then Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) Regulations will be applied. For more information click here.
Planning developments, then Planning (EIA) Regulations may be appropriate. For more information, contact your local council.

Environmental Crime (Waste)

Incidents involve illegal dumping of waste.

For further information and on how to report, please click here.

Poaching (of game animals & fish)

See "Wildlife Crime incidents" below.

Water Pollution incidents

Incidents include urgent concerns of pollution of streams and rivers.

Any ongoing water pollution incidents please call the water pollution hotline immediately any time, day or night: 0800 80 70 60.

Non urgent water pollution issues can be reported to the following email address: emergency-pollution@daera-ni.gov.uk.

For further information, please click here.

Wildlife Crime incidents

Incidents involve illegal disturbance and / or destruction of protected wildlife species.