Antimicrobial/antibiotic/Hydrogen Peroxide use at salmon farms: EIR release
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
FOI reference: FOI/18/01369
Date received: 14 May 2018
Date responded: 12 June 2018
Information requested
Details of antimicrobial/antibiotic and hydrogen peroxide use at salmon farms carried out on well-boats since 2002.
Response
A copy of most of the information requested is included below and in the attachments. As requested, the information relates only to well-boat treatments.
Some of the information requested may be available using the link below:
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/FHI/CaseInformation
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.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained below:
The Scottish Government does not have the information. 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.
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 antimicrobial/antibiotic use at salmon farms carried out on well-boats, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.
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Contact
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Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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