Freedom of Information Request - ‘Linking the Lochs’ - the Atlantic Salmon Trust
Date: 18 March 2025
Our ref: SIR179168/A5047447
Information Request – ‘Linking the Lochs’ - the Atlantic Salmon Trust
Your Request
I see on the Atlantic Salmon Trust’s website that NatureScot is involved in the ‘Linking the Lochs’ project. I would be very grateful if you could tell me if this money (the portion coming from NatureScot) is coming from a public purse, because on the AST’s own site I can see that (amongst others) The Marquess of Hamilton, Tiggy Pettifer, and His Majesty the King are at its head.
Wouldn’t it be just brilliant if I (and a person on minimum wage) could pay taxes in order for us to say that we are together/united with these noble people.
Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold our response is below.
The Atlantic Salmon Trust was awarded £143,540 in June 2024 from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) for development phase funding for their project ‘Linking the Lochs’, which focusses on large scale habitat and species restoration.
The Atlantic Salmon Trust are a charitable organisation, and this project is delivered in partnership with Soval Estate who own the majority of the Laxay catchment. The project is based in the Laxay catchment on the Isle of Lewis and the project’s aim is to address a range of pressures, including the impacts of climate change, on freshwater species including the Atlantic salmon.
To note, the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund goal is to protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity on land and sea at scale. Applications are managed through a competitive process, and we assess each application based on how they meet the Nature Restoration Fund requirements. More information is available on our Scottish Government Restoration Fund (NRF) page.
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
A Gaelic version available on request, reference SIR179168/A5050727
