Black isle area poisoning data

kieran foster made this Freedom of Information request to SASA This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by SASA.

Dear Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture,

I am aware from press reports that your laboratories have been investigating the recent spate of approximately 22 raptor deaths in the Conon Bridge area.

press reports have indicated that 14 of the birds have been confirmed as 'poisoned' or 'illegally poisoned'

I am writing to you to ask for recorded toxicology data on the birds investigated from this incident, to include:

i) Species, sex, age if indicated
ii) information on any pesticides or poisons identified in animal tissues from toxicology results
iii) level detected of any pesticide or poison identified
iv) any internal comments that may indicate a scientific view on whether any particular bird had died as a result of deliberate abuse or accidental poisoning, or whether the death had been allocated to any particular cause.
v) any data which indicates the laboratory or pathology results had been attributed to 'abuse' or any other cause

Yours faithfully,

kieran foster

Elizabeth Sharp,

Dear Mr Foster
Thank you for your request dated 3 June 2014 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) for information regarding the recent spate of approximately 22 raptor deaths in the Conon Bridge area and specifically asking for recorded toxicology data on the birds investigated from this incident, to include:
i) Species, sex, age if indicated
ii) information on any pesticides or poisons identified in animal tissues from toxicology results
iii) level detected of any pesticide or poison identified
iv) any internal comments that may indicate a scientific view on whether any particular bird had died as a result of deliberate abuse or accidental poisoning, or whether the death had been allocated to any particular cause.
v) any data which indicates the laboratory or pathology results had been attributed to 'abuse' or any other cause
We received your request on 3 June 2014 and will respond in accordance with FOISA by 1 July 2014.
If you have any queries, please contact me quoting case number FoI/14/00941.

Regards,
Elizabeth

Elizabeth Sharp
Senior Analyst - Pesticides
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
Roddinglaw Road, Edinburgh, EH12 9FJ, UK
T: +44(0)131 244 8874 | F: +44(0)131 244 8940
E: [email address] | W: www.sasa.gov.uk <http://www.sasa.gov.uk/>

SASA is a Division of the Scottish Government Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities Directorate

Elizabeth Sharp,

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Foster,

Please see the response to your FoI request dated 3 June 2014 attached.

<<20140630145607>>
Regards

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Sharp
Senior Analyst - Pesticides
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
Roddinglaw Road, Edinburgh, EH12 9FJ, UK
T: +44(0)131 244 8874 | F: +44(0)131 244 8940
E: [email address] | W: www.sasa.gov.uk <http://www.sasa.gov.uk/>

SASA is a Division of the Scottish Government Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities Directorate

Dear Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture's handling of my FOI request 'Black isle area poisoning data'.

Given the widespread press discussion of the incident, the decision to refuse to release outright all the information is in clear breach of the public interest test.

Specifically, a Police Scotland press release made AFTER my request was submitted, but BEFORE it was processed states the following:

"Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division are seeking to reassure the public that enquiries are still ongoing into a wildlife crime investigation regarding the death of birds of prey in the Ross-shire area.

The 22 birds (sixteen red kites and six buzzards) were located in the Conon Bridge area and following analysis of the birds' remains, fifteen have been confirmed as having digested an illegally-held poisonous substance (twelve red kites and three buzzards). Post mortem examinations and toxicology work continues into all the birds seized."

As such part of the information I have requested has now ALREADY been released to the public domain since my original request was made, but later refused when my request was finally processed - the resulting claim that releasing the species of birds as per my request is against the public interest is therefore entirely unsustainable, similarly the police press release states that fifteen of the birds have ingested illegal poisons, again information that I asked for in my original request has subsequently been released into the public domain before my request was processed, but been refused in my request - this public interest test has therefore clearly not been carried out properly, and as such the entire request must be reviewed.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/b...

Yours faithfully,

kieran foster

Dear Mr Foster
Thank you for your request of 30 June for a review of our response to your
request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004
(EIRs) for Black Isle area poisoning data. 
I have been asked by Jonathan Pryce, Director for Agriculture, Food &
Rural Communities to carry out the review because I was not involved in
handling your original request.  I will be looking at the case afresh to
establish whether the original response should be confirmed, with or
without modifications as appropriate, or a fresh decision should be
substituted.
We received your review request on 1 July 2014 so I will respond in
accordance with the EIRs by 29 July 2014
If you have any queries, please contact me quoting case number
FoI/14/00941.
Hugh Dignon
Hugh Dignon
 
Wildlife and Protected Areas | Directorate for Environment and Forestry |
The Scottish Government | 1-D North, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ | T:
0131 244 7574 | M: 07824 499301
 
 
 
 
 

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Foster,
 
Please find attached a letter detailing the outcome of the review,
undertaken by Hugh Dignon, of the original response by Science and Advice
for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) to your FoI request for information
relating to the poisoning of birds of prey in Ross-shire (FoI/14/00941).
 
 
Regards,
 
Daniel
 
Daniel Hall,
Policy Officer,
Wildlife & Protected Areas,
Natural Resources Division,
Scottish Government.
 
 
 

show quoted sections

 

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.