Bakkafrost site in Drinishader/Plocrapool salmon farming: EIR release

Information requested

Information on the Drinshader/Plocrapool Bakkafrost site, specifically:

1. Data on how many escapee salmon have been reported in the Bakkafrost site in Drinishader/Plocrapool on the Isle of Harris Western Isles.

2. A copy of all chemicals used to treat disease and sea lice over the last 3 years and all sampling data inclusive of the requirement to monitor the seabed i.e. all environmental monitoring results.

3. The results of the seabed mixing limit to include the compliance assessment method used.

4. The original survey data for the site where reefs which are present were not recorded - they were left as question marks on the original survey.

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

We have interpreted your request to relate to the fish farm site registered as Plocrapol (FS1256) and authorised under the business Bakkafrost Scotland (FB0169). Responses to the various parts of your request are provided as follows:

1. Data on how many escapee salmon have been reported in the Bakkafrost site in Drinishader/Plocrapool on the Isle of Harris Western Isles.

Data relating to escapes of farmed fish is publicly available on the Scotland’s Aquaculture website https://aquaculture.scotland.gov.uk/ - select the data tab then click on Fish Escapes. The data can be filtered to facilitate searching and exported to a spreadsheet file for further manipulation.

2. A copy of all chemicals used to treat disease and sea lice over the last 3 years and all sampling data inclusive of the requirement to monitor the seabed i.e. all environmental monitoring results.

The Scottish Government does not hold a comprehensive record of chemical use on fish farm sites used to treat sea lice and disease and do not hold data relating to environmental monitoring results for the time period of this request. As a result, the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs applies to this part of your request and further detail is given below.

We do hold some information on chemical use on fish farm sites which is collected, recorded, and proactively published in relation to the aquatic animal health surveillance activity undertaken by the Marine Directorate’s Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI). This information is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/collections/publication-of-fish-health-inspectorate-information/

Please be aware, and as stated above, this does not provide a comprehensive record of chemical use on fish farm sites. To facilitate your searching for relevant information the following case numbers are relevant to FHI inspections conducted at the Plocrapol fish farm site since 2021 – 20220446 and 20220012 and can be used to help find any relevant information within the published documents.

Scotland’s Aquaculture website (web link provided above) also contains some relevant information, provided, and published through SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency). This includes Environmental Monitoring Surveys, Fish Farm Monthly Biomass and Treatments and Sealice In-Feed Treatment Residues. These areas are accessible through the data tab of the website, in a similar manner as detailed above in relation to Fish Escapes.

Scotland’s Aquaculture website also contains site specific Sea Lice Data provided on a weekly basis. This includes sea lice counts and actions taken to manage sea lice levels including treatments and mitigation measures.

With respect to parts 3 and 4 of your request:

3. The results of the seabed mixing limit to include the compliance assessment method used.

4. The original survey data for the site where reefs which are present were not recorded - they were left as question marks on the original survey.

The Scottish Government does not hold information relating to parts 3 and 4 of your request. As a result, the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs also applies here and further detail is given below.

The exception at regulation 10(4)(a) applies.

Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested, as detailed above. This includes a comprehensive record of chemical use on fish farm sites and information relating to seabed monitoring (part 2 of your request) as well as information relating to the seabed mixing limits (part 3 of your request) and the original survey data for the site (part 4 of your request).

This is because the Scottish Government does not have a statutory responsibility to monitor for or collect information relating to these areas. It may be beneficial for you to contact SEPA (https://www.sepa.org.uk/) with respect to parts 2 and 3 of your request, they may be able to help further, beyond any information available to you through Scotland’s Aquaculture website. Given their role in the planning process, the local authority of the Western Isles (https://cne-siar.gov.uk/) may be able to help you with part 4 of your request concerning the original survey data relating to the Plocrapol site.

This exception is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about chemical use, environmental (seabed) monitoring, seabed mixing limits and the original survey data, all relating to the Plocrapol fish farm site, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Publicly available information – Regulation 6(1)(b).

Part 1 and 2 of your request refers to and provides links to information sources in the public domain. Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.