Costs of co-management: EIR release
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Information requested
For each year from 2008 to the present (2022) please provide:-
1. The direct costs to the Scottish Government of administering ‘co-management’ including:
a. Costs of IFG/RIFG management and administration
b. Associated expenses paid to attendees of IFG/RIFG meetings
c. other general expenditures by the Scottish Government in support of Co-management
2. For each IFG/RIFG please provide copies of all management plans, stock recovery plans published.
3. List all/any fishery measures implemented in each the year by Marine Scotland arising directly out an RIFG/IFG management plan/stock recovery plan.
4. Any published evaluation of any fishery measures implemented in 3. above.
5. Copies of all current RIFG governance documents.
Response
1. The direct costs to the Scottish Government of administering ‘co-management’ including:-
- Costs of IFG/RIFG management and administration
- Associated expenses paid to attendees of IFG/RIFG meetings
- Other general expenditures by the Scottish Government in support of Co-management
I am providing a copy of all the information you have requested except for the associated expenses paid to the attendees of IFG/RIFG meetings, as The Scottish Government does not cover the cost of expenses for IFG/RIFG meeting attendees.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing part of your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)a of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
2. For each IFG/RIFG please provide copies of all management plans, stock recovery plans
published.
Some of the information you have requested is available from https://rifg.scot/news. Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Information prior to 2018 is no longer publicly available, however I am providing copies of previous management plans, stock recovery plans for you. Please note IFG / RIFG Management Plans are live documents and usually only updated by the RIFG Chair, instead of a new one produced each year.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing part of your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)a of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
However, you may wish to contact our RIFG Chairs, contact details of which can be found at https://rifg.scot who may be able to help you further.
3. List all/any fishery measures implemented in each the year by Marine Scotland arising directly out an RIFG/IFG management plan/stock recovery plan.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
In the interest of being helpful, I have compiled a list of example fishery measures implemented in each year by Marine Scotland, which I am providing to you.
4. Any published evaluation of any fishery measures implemented in 3. Above.
Some of the information you have requested is available from https://rifg.scot/news . Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing part of your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)a of the EIRs. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
However, you may wish to contact our RIFG Chairs, contact details of which can be found at https://rifg.scot who may be able to help you further.
5. Copies of all current RIFG governance documents.
I am providing a copy of all the information you have requested.
Due to the total size of the documents to be released under this EIR, I will separately email you an invitation to a shared Workspace in an online storage facility called “Objective Connect.” This online storage facility is now the Scottish Government preferred way to share large and/or numerous files.
To access the documents via Objective Connect you will need to click on the link provided in my accompanying email. In order to access the shared Workspace files you will need to enter your email address and a password of your choice. You will then be able to enter the Workspace and click on each item to download it.
ANNEX
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
The Scottish Government does not have the information
Under the terms of exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested because the Regional Inshore Fisheries Group Chairs hold the information you are looking for and also the financial information was routinely destroyed in accordance with our standard records management practice.
This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information you have requested, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.
Due to the size of the files we are unable to upload some of the documents referred to above. If you wish to consider, please contact us at the address below and we will be happy to provide.
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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