Approach to monitoring fishing vessels landings: EIR release

Information requested

"Can you give us details of how exactly your risk based monitoring system work’s regarding monitoring fishing vessel fish landings here in our Scottish ports?"

Response

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.

The Marine Directorate’s risk based approach to monitoring fishing vessels landings follows Scottish Government guidance and is based on ISO 31000 (ISO 31000 — Risk management).

On a monthly basis, we collect returns relating to fishing activity from all coastal areas and our UK Monitoring Centre. These returns incorporate information on a number of factors such as the level of activity within Scottish waters, intelligence reports, previous boardings and landings, and any findings from officers daily duties. Information on seasonal fisheries, aquaculture and the wider marine environment, are also included when relevant.

The returns are then collated and risk assessed using a 5x5 scoring matrix which looks at the likelihood and impact of activities taking place. The likelihood score estimates the chance of the risk occurring while the impact score estimates the scale and scope of the impact and the effect it may have. A noncompliance detected in a fishery would score more highly and compliant fishery would score lower allowing the Directorate to identify priorities for inspections for the next monthly period at a local, regional and national level.

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.