Details of commercial fishing in identified areas: EIR release

Information requested

The amount (weight) and type of fish/crustacean/mollusc that is landed, where it is landed and if possible, where it goes (local/national/internation). The area of interest for our survey’s are:

• Dumfries and Galloway Survey - the Solway Firth from Glencaple to the Isle of Whithorn
• Hunterston Survey - Wemyss Bay to Saltcoats

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in an excel spreadsheet. This consists of two tables, one for each stretch of coastline requested. The tables include information on landed weight by species type, port and year. Note that only ports with landings recorded have been included. Some ports, including Wemyss Bay and Saltcoats have had no landings recorded during the years requested.

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 part of your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

ANNEX

REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION

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. The Scottish Government does not have the information on where the fish and shellfish go after they are landed (local, national or international). We only have information on the first sale and not the final destination.

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 where the fish go after they are landed, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

About FOI

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

EIR 202400442336 - Information released - Spreadsheet

File type

Excel document

File size

16.5 kB