Freedom of Information Request - Beaver Licencing Function
Date: 29 November 2024
Our ref: SIR177847/A4839396
Information Request – Beaver Licencing Function
Your Request
1. All direction and guidance provided to beaver officers when considering a beaver control licence application for trapping.
2. All direction and guidance provided to beaver officers when considering a beaver control licence application for lethal control.
Our Response
We have searched the information that we hold and discussed your request with the NatureScot Wildlife Management - Beaver Team.
The Beaver team indicated that we do not have any written guidance on application of trapping and lethal control other than what is provided on our website here. Our licensing team do have a processing guide, which sets out the process for an application, but this is not a decision-making document. A copy of this guidance is provided as a separate document to this response.
We have also provided the internal processing guide for a beaver trap licence, currently held by a member of the Beaver Trust.
We have redacted out a small amount of personal data, from the information provided. To release personal data into the public domain in response an information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018, so under the EIRs we have applied the following exemption 11(2) – Personal Data.
There is also a “Code of Practice” on the lethal control of beavers, which is issued with any licences that permit the use of lethal control, a copy of this document is also attached as a separate document to this response.
Jenny Bryce from our Wildlife Management team, [email protected] would be willing to discuss any specific questions that you may have about the process.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to accessibility issues the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).