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

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, at Historic Environment Division.  For an interactive Map Viewer of environmentally designated areas please visit the Historic Environment Map Viewer.

Please refer to Department of Communities advice at Historic Environment Division

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 check How to report Water Pollution, or a Cross-Compliance incident of damage to the environment or countryside

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. More information can be found here at Northern Ireland environment agency. 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 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but note that incidents should be reported through the ‘Cross Compliance incidents’ section above.
• Planned developments, extraction of peat, m ineral 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. More information can be found at Environmental Impact Assessments 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.

Further information can be found here on How to report Environmental Crime.

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, visit The NIEA and water pollution.

Wildlife Crime incidents

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

For further information and on how to report, please visit Wildlife Law.