Protection of sites of critical importance for nature conservation
| Authority | Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2024-05-21 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but part exempt |
| Outcome date | 2024-06-13 |
| Case ID | 3865121 |
Summary
The requester asked for confirmation on the status of biodiversity protection targets and specific land conservation statistics under the Isle of Man Biodiversity Strategy. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed that not all critical sites are protected, cited a lack of resources and previous fisheries agreements as reasons, and directed the requester to an online dashboard showing 19.76% of land is currently protected.
Key Facts
- Not all sites of critical importance for biodiversity conservation are currently effectively protected and managed on land and at sea.
- The Department does not hold the specific information explaining why protection targets have not been met, citing Section 11(3)a of the Act.
- Resource constraints and the previous fisheries agreement have restricted the Department's ability to fulfill conservation expectations.
- The Nature Recovery Network dashboard indicates that 19.76% of the land area is currently protected or in Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs).
- Manx National Heritage land and Registered Woodlands have protection but have not yet been added to the Nature Recovery Network map.
Data Disclosed
- 2025
- 20%
- 19.76%
- 2024-05-21
- 2024-06-13
- 3nm
- Section 11(3)a
- Section 20
Exemptions Cited
- Section 11(3)a (Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)
- Section 20 (Information already reasonably accessible)
Original Request
Strategic Objective 5 of the Isle of Man Biodiversity Strategy (as approved by Tynwald) states: 'By 2025 all sites of critical importance for conservation of our biodiversity will be effectively protected and managed so that resident or migratory wildlife has adequate refuge to safeguard its future survival, recognising the challenge of climate change.' 1. Give that there are only seven months left until the above deadline, please can you confirm that 'all sites of critical importance for conservation of our biodiversity' are now 'effectively protected and managed' on land and at sea? 2. If the above has not been achieved, please state why. Action 17 of the Strategy also states, 'By 2025 we will appropriately conserve and manage 20% of land and inland water through statutory designations and other effective conservation management schemes.' 3. Please state how much of the Isle of Man land and inland water is currently 'conserved and managed' through 'statutory designations and other effective conservation management schemes'. Please state what these 'other effective conservation management schemes' are. 4. If the above has not been achieved, please state why.
Data Tables (1)
Full Response Text
Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im
Our ref: 3865121 13 June 2024
Dear ###
We write further to your request, received 21 May 2024, which states:
"Strategic Objective 5 of the Isle of Man Biodiversity Strategy (as approved by Tynwald) states:
'By 2025 all sites of critical importance for conservation of our biodiversity will be effectively protected and managed so that resident or migratory wildlife has adequate refuge to safeguard its future survival, recognising the challenge of climate change.'
-
Give that there are only seven months left until the above deadline, please can you confirm that 'all sites of critical importance for conservation of our biodiversity' are now 'effectively protected and managed' on land and at sea?
-
If the above has not been achieved, please state why.
Action 17 of the Strategy also states, 'By 2025 we will appropriately conserve and manage 20% of land and inland water through statutory designations and other effective conservation management schemes.'
-
Please state how much of the Isle of Man land and inland water is currently 'conserved and managed' through 'statutory designations and other effective conservation management schemes'. Please state what these 'other effective conservation management schemes' are.
-
If the above has not been achieved, please state why.
Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information being released to you.
- Given that there are only seven months left until the above deadline, please can you confirm that 'all sites of critical importance for conservation of our biodiversity' are now 'effectively protected and managed' on land and at sea?
No, all such sites have not been effectively protected and managed.
- If the above has not been achieved, please state why.
Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is in line with Section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), provides the public right to access information held by a public authority. Nothing in the Act requires a public authority to create or derive information that it holds. The FOI form requires the applicant to provide an adequate description of the information requested, not provide to request an explanation.
To offer advice and assistance, the Department has not had access to the resources required to fulfil this expectation and, given other priorities alongside, and outside of the 3nm marine area, the Department have until recently been restricted by the previous fisheries agreement.
- Please state how much of the Isle of Man land and inland water is currently 'conserved and managed' through 'statutory designations and other effective conservation management schemes'. Please state what these 'other effective conservation management schemes' are.
Section 20 While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. Some of the information that you have requested in question three is provided in the Nature Recovery Network which is available from: https://www.biosphere.im/our-projects/nature-recovery-network.
To offer advice and assistance, once you have accessed the Nature Recovery Network (NRN) you should then select the “dashboard”, where you will find the central figure 'Area Protected or in OECMs', which currently gives 19.76% of the land area.
Manx National Heritage land and Registered Woodlands have protection and are yet to be added to the NRN map. Only those sites that have been added to the NRN map at this stage are included within the figure given.'
Other Effective Conservation Schemes/Measures have been defined by the IUCN here: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/PATRS-003-En.pdf of which the following qualify: • the Department hill land and National Glens; • the Wildlife Act management agreements; • the permanent habitats of wildlife conservation interest under the agri- environment scheme (lowland and upland); and • if brought back into good management, Conservation and Sensitive Verges.
- If the above has not been achieved, please state why.
Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is in line with Section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), provides the public right to access information held by a public authority. Nothing in the Act requires a public authority to create or derive information that it holds. The FOI form requires the applicant to provide an adequate description of the information requested, not provide to request an explanation.
To offer advice and assistance, the Department are now looking to produce a reviewed Biodiversity Strategy in order to work in the Global Biodiversity Framework and once worked through with relevant actions and targets, the strategy will be become publicly available.
Please quote the reference number 3865121 in any future communications.
Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.
An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on:
-
Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
-
Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.
Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.
I will now close your request as of this date.
Yours sincerely