Blueprint for managing aquaculture applications referenced in Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting: EIR release

Information requested

• The 'Blueprint for managing aquaculture applications', as referenced by Malcolm Pentland in the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 May 2023.
• Details of which local authority/authorities are taking part in the Consenting Task Group (https://www.gov.scot/groups/consenting-task-group/).
• Details of which fish farm applications are being considered for inclusion in the pilot consenting project, as referenced by Malcolm Pentland in the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 May 2023.

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption 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 exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Response

The answer to your question is:

• I have enclosed a copy of the draft 'blueprint for managing aquaculture applications', as referenced by Malcolm Pentland in the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 May 2023. See Document 1 attached.
• A representative from each of The Highland Council, Shetland Islands Council, and Heads of Planning Scotland are taking part in the Consenting Task Group.
• The details of which fish farm applications are being considered for inclusion in the pilot consenting project, as referenced by Malcolm Pentland in the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 May 2023, are not yet known. Please continue to check the Consenting Task Group webpage for updates.

About FOI

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

Draft blueprint

File type

1 page PDF

File size

124.6 kB