Fishing Sightings Data 2023 & 2024 request: EIR release

Information requested

We would like to make another request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs) for this data for the years 2023 & 2024.

Last time we received this data it was broken down into the below columns and would like to request the same again if possible:

• Nat (Nationality)
• Type (of Fishing)
• Date
• Time
• Latitude
• Longitude
• Area
• Rect (ICES)
• Activity

If you could also provide some metadata about this dataset, it would be much appreciated. 

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.

I attach a copy of most of the information you requested. The normal format for such data would be a "pdf" document, however, while you have not expressed a reference for the format for the data, I have included an "excel" spreadsheet copy of the data as you may wish to manipulate the columns for your own purposes. In addition, as also requested, I have recorded below some metadata in relation to the information.

Column 1 "Nat" - this is the Nationality of the fishing vessel sighted. the code is ALPHA-3 ISO and a list of codes is available here: List of country codes by alpha-2, alpha-3 code (ISO 3166) (iban.com) if there are any that are unfamiliar to you.

Column 2 "Type" This is the main type of fishing the vessel engages in. It should be noted that some vessels are capable of fishing with more than one method and the "Type" recorded occasionally may not reflect the actual fishing operation the vessel is engaged in. Where the entry in this column is "-", this indicates that the vessel type is either not known, or has not been recorded at the time of sighting. The overwhelming majority of entries with "-" in this column are for sightings in port where the vessel is tied up and is not engaged in fishing activity.

Column 3 "Date" is the date the sighting was recorded.

Column 4 “Time”

Column 5 "Latitude" and

Column 6 "Longitude" is the recorded position of the vessel when sighted. Entries recorded as 00°00.00'S 000°00.00'W" relate to sightings in port.

Column 7 "Area" This relates to the ICES area in which the sighting took place. This is recorded in the format "10XX" where "XX" is the ICES area as it is most commonly referred to. For example "104A" relates to ICES area 4A (or IVa). Where this column is blank, the sighting would have taken place in port.

Column 8 "Rect" This relates to the Statistical Rectangle within which the sighting was recorded.

Column 9 "Activity" This column details what activity the vessel was engaged in at the time of sighting as follows:

L = Landing catch
T = Tied up in port
F = Fishing
S = Steaming (in transit, not engaged in fishing operations)
O = Other activity

"Other activity" for a sighting in port may indicate. for example, that the vessel is in drydock; while at sea, the vessel may be engaged in guardship duty or other non-fishing activity.

About FOI

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

FOI 202500479336 - Information released - 2023

File type

Excel document

File size

801.8 kB

FOI 202500479336 - Information released - 2024

File type

Excel document

File size

851.5 kB