Scottish freshwater fisheries regulations regarding trout stocks: EIR release

Information requested

I am writing to request information regarding trout stocking in Fife. Specifically, I would like to know which individuals, angling clubs, or fisheries currently hold written consent or licences to stock trout in Fife’s inland waters.

I am concerned about the possibility of unlicensed or illegal stocking taking place and would like to ensure that all trout stocking in the area is compliant with Scottish freshwater fisheries regulations.
Could you please provide guidance on:

1. Who holds legal consent to stock trout in Fife.

2. Any ongoing monitoring or compliance checks related to trout stocking in the area.

3. The process for reporting suspected illegal stocking.

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.

Question 1

For the current year (2026) consents, I have included some of the information request below in Annex A.

However, on review, some of this information has been withheld in line with the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs). The exception applied can also be found in Annex A.

For previous consents issued, 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.

Where information is already publicly available I have provided you with the links to the relevant websites below. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

A list of consents issued by Marine Scotland for the introduction of freshwater fish to Scottish waters can be found here: List of consents issued by Marine Scotland for the introduction of  freshwater fish

To note, the above list is updated quarterly in arrears and for the same reasons as the information provided to you in Annex A, it does not contain names of individuals or fisheries due to the data protection principles mentioned.

Question 2 and 3

It is important to note that Marine Directorate Freshwater Licensing has no powers of investigation or enforcement under the 2003 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Scotland) Act. Any suspected illegal stocking should be reported to the relevant Police Scotland Wildlife Crime team. If you want report any wildlife crime please refer to Wildlife crime - Police Scotland.

You may also find it helpful to review the Freshwater fisheries: licensing page on the Scottish Government website, which contains information, application forms and application guidance in relation to the introduction of and fishing for freshwater fish.

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.

EIR 202600507384 - Information Released - Annex A

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