Freedom of Information Request - Impact of releasing Game Birds
Date: 13 September 2024
Our ref: SIR176664/A47339553
Information Request – Impact of releasing Game Birds
Thank you for your information request, which we received on 13 August. We have considered your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
Please share any communications from the last year which refer to the impacts of releasing game birds into the environment.
Please also share any internal assessments about the impact that you hold.
Please share any communications received in the last year in which concerns were expressed about restrictions on the import, transportation and release of game birds during the last bird flu outbreak.
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Wildlife Management Team, and they have provided a number of documents that meet the terms of your request. Copies of these documents is attached as a separate document to this response.
We have redacted some information from the documents that we have provided for the following reasons:
− We have redacted out some personal data. Releasing personal data into the public domain, in response to an access to information request, would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We are therefore withholding the information under EIRs Regulation 11(2) (Personal data).
− Locations where capercaillie are present have also been redacted out as releasing this information into the public domain in response to this request could lead to these sites being disturbed/destroyed by third parties. We have therefore applied EIRS regulation 10(5)(g) (Protection of the Environment) to some of this information.
− We have also redacted out information on some project details as this information is currently being worked on by a Third Party (GWCT), and this information, could prevent the process of research funding being secured and game managers agreeing to take part in the study. We do not believe that is in the public interest for NatureScot to damage a competitive tendering process. We are therefore withholding this information under EIRs Regulation 10(5)( e) – Confidentiality of commercial or industrial information.
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).
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