Fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS) data for all of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) rectangles in Scotland: EIR release

Information requested

Would it be possible to request fishing VMS data for all of the ICES rectangles in Scotland for the period of January 2025 - December 2025, if the data is available?

Please could speed and nationality information be included as a minimum. Any other available vessel information would also be appreciated.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reason why that exception applies is explained in the Annex to this letter.

To comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, location data is subject to statistical disclosure controls. Values are redacted where there are fewer than five fishing vessels present.

ANNEX

An exception applies

Regulation 11(2) – To the extent that environmental information requested includes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject and in relation to which either the first or second condition set out in paragraphs (3) and (4) is satisfied, a Scottish public authority shall not make the personal data available.

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information of a third party) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

To comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, location data is subject to statistical disclosure controls. Values are redacted where there are fewer than three fishing vessels present. Additionally, data pertaining to Polish registered vessels is withheld as part of statistical disclosure controls under regulation 11(2).

Due to the size of the files we are unable to upload 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

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