Fishery owners and riverkeepers are waiting on a decision by the European Commission on whether it will reevaluate permission to continue using glyphosate in herbicides.

The product is currently approved or use as an active substance in the European Union until December 15th 20233 however a recently released study on its carcinogenic effects is currently under discussion.

The European commission has asked the European Chemicals Agency and the European Food Safety Agency to look into the Global Glyphosate Study published in June to determine if any further action needs to be taken.

Although subject to certain conditions and restrictions, under current rules Plant Protection Products (PPPs) containing glyphosate can be authorised by national authorities following a full evaluation of their safety and efficacy until 2033.

The substance has been banned or restricted in some American cities and foreign countries because of human while the study said: “Results provide robust evidence supporting IARC’s conclusion that there is ‘sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity [of glyphosate] in experimental animals’.

“Furthermore, our data are consistent with epidemiological evidence on the carcinogenicity of glyphosate and GBHs.”

The main concern with glyphosate in the aquatic environment is its potential impact on fish and other aquatic life due to its use in agriculture and weed control where it can enter the water via run-off.

Studies have shown that glyphosate can be absorbed by fish and accumulate in their tissues, even at low concentrations, negatively impacting aquatic ecosystems by affecting water quality, reducing biodiversity, and harming fish populations.