Freedom of Information Request - Orkney goose project reports
Date: 27 February 2025
Our ref: SIR178507/A4969493
Information Request – Orkney goose project reports
Your Request
‘I would like to make a request by way of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 for reports and other information about options to reduce geese numbers in Orkney.
I understand there are four documents:
1. An initial feasibility study,
2. A specific practical field trial of those methods,
3. A draft five year management plan,
4. A further field trial of methods.
I would like to request the four of these, and any other feasibility studies or operational/management plans that exist.
Please can I also request any applications for funding for these efforts.
Lastly, I would like to ask for all correspondence sent to or received from the Scottish Government regarding the funding of the scheme.’
Our Response
Q - Reports and other information about options to reduce geese numbers in Orkney
The information you requested, the four documents relating to the Orkney goose project, are not currently ready for release, so will be withheld under EIR exemption Regulation 10(4)(d) - Material in the course of completion, unfinished documents, and incomplete data (Environmental Information Regulations). The expected date for publication on our website is by Spring 2025.
Applications for funding for these reports
| Year | Amount (£) | Description |
|---|---|---|
2019 | 11,138 | Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Management Options - Feasibility Study |
2020 | 3,840 | Census of Greylag Goose moult locations across Orkney Mainland |
2000 | 2,000 | Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Management Rifle Shooting Trial |
2021 | 16,387 | Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Management Moult Corralling trials of Greylag Geese. |
2022 | 8,850 | Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Management – Creating a 5 Year Resident Greylag Goose Management Plan. |
2022 | 20,214 | Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Management - Corralling and Shooting on the water trial |
Funding was provided by the Scottish Government, so no formal applications are available to share.
Q - Correspondence sent to or received from the Scottish Government regarding the funding of the scheme.
Our response is attached separately.
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).
