Historical information relating to Tombane and Logierait Mires: EIR release

Information requested

All historical information relating to agricultural activity, stocking levels and movement records for Tombane and Logierait Mires SSSI site code 1089 that the department of agriculture holds.

Response

Following a thorough search of our IT systems, both present and past, and the related paper based files, I can confirm the following information:- Our mapping system confirms that the vast majority of this area of SSSI lies within the boundaries of LPID parcel NN/95364/53558 which extends to 70.09ha. Our present IT system (Rural Payments & Services) confirms that prior to 2021, this LPID was occupied by a larger farming business and declared on a Field Data sheet (FDS) as part of their Single Application Form (SAF) from 2015 onwards. This was when these records began. The SAF requires a land use for the field to be entered in the FDS and this was returned for this field as rough grazing (RGR). The SAF also requires an entry on the Base Form of the application for all livestock the business has responsibility for to be declared and the business returned a significant number of both sheep and cattle breeding stock on the holding. The SAF does not however ask for any information regarding which field these livestock are grazed on at any time of the year. We do not therefore hold any records of the stocking density of any of the individual parcels on the agricultural unit. With regards to the recording of animal movements to RPID, this is also done at a holding level i.e. the move is only recorded when the animal moves on or off the holding. This means that even if animals moved on or off the SSSI, the move would only be registered if the animal was moved on or off the holding at that time. It would not specify where on the holding the animal was moved from or to. I realise that the above response does not include most of the detailed information that you requested, but I am happy to expand on the above reasons why this is not available in our records.

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