text: threaten their conservation status. To support this, data collection on by-catch for all 
  sensitive species needs to be stepped up. 
  
  In addition,**fisheries-management measures**must be established in all marine protected 
  areas according to clearly defined conservation objectives and on the basis of the best 
  available scientific advice. 
  
  *2.2.7. Restoring freshwater ecosystems*
  
  The EU’s legal framework on water is ambitious but implementation is lagging behind 
  and enforcement must be stepped up46. Greater efforts are needed to**restore freshwater**
  **ecosystems and the natural functions of rivers**in order to achieve the objectives of the 
  Water Framework Directive. This can be done by removing or adjusting barriers that 
  prevent the passage of migrating fish and improving the flow of water and sediments. To 
  help make this a reality,**at least 25,000 km of rivers will be restored into free-flowing**
  **rivers by 2030**47 through the removal of primarily obsolete barriers and the restoration of 
  floodplains and wetlands. Technical guidance and support to the Member States to 
  identify sites and help mobilise funding will be provided by the Commission in 2021, in 
  consultation with all relevant authorities48. Member State authorities should review water 
  abstraction and impoundment permits to implement ecological flows in order to achieve 
  good status or potential of all surface waters and good status of all groundwater by 2027 
  at the latest, as required by the Water Framework Directive49. To that effect, the 
  Commission will provide technical support to Member States on their measures by 2023. 