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Privacy Notice

The Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture (DEFA) is a Controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who is the Controller?

The Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture (DEFA) is registered with the Information Commissioner as a Controller.

The Department takes its responsibilities in relation to your personal information very seriously and makes every effort to ensure it is secure and not used for any purpose incompatible with that for which it was originally collected.

If you have any concerns or questions about how the Department deals with your personal information please contact our Data Protection Officer on 686781 or by email at DPO_DEFA@gov.im

Definitions

  • 'personal data' means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ('data subject'). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person

  • 'processing' means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction

  • 'Controller' means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data

  • 'Processor' means a natural or legal person (other than an employee of the Department), public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller

Why do we collect your Personal Information?

We collect and process information, including your Personal Information, in order to carry out our statutory functions under the Fisheries Act 2012 and the Wildlife Act 1990. This may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • administration of official documents such as licences, permits, and authorisations

  • Notices of Variation to authorised official documents

  • to monitor activities for which the Department has a statutory responsibility

  • provision of information that is related to the activities for which the Division has a statutory responsibility.

To contact you in relation to fisheries management, aquaculture, marine conservation and inland waters issues.

How is your Personal Information collected?

Your Personal Information may be collected:

  • Application forms

  • Permit request made via letter or email

  • Over the telephone or via email when you make a report or request a service

  • Quotes or invoices for grants, services or goods

  • Electronic or paper logbooks and catch returns

  • Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Inshore Vessel Monitoring (IVMS)

  • Responses to public or stakeholder consultations

We also may be in receipt of your data from third parties for the purposes of fisheries management, enforcement, licensing, catch data, fish health monitoring, including from:

  • UK fisheries administrations

  • Manx Fish Producers Organisation

  • UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre in Scotland (vessel location/activity)

  • Nest Design Ltd (fisheries reporting software)

  • CEFAS (e.g. fish health and vessel licensing)

  • Sunset Lakes Ltd (coarse fish licensing)

  • Isle of Man Post Office & Welcome Centre (angling licence sales)

Who do you share my Personal Information with and why?

Your Personal Information may be shared in the public interest:

  • Within the Department to provide effective and efficient services and regulation. Your information will only be used for purposes that align with the original reason for collection.

For commercial fishing vessels and/or registered fish buyers/sellers, this means the lawful and compliant exploitation of sea fishery resources for the purpose of supplying sea fishery products to markets, including export markets. This means we may share your information with other teams within the Department, for example the Regulation Directorate (Environmental Health).

  • With other Government Departments, Statutory Boards and Offices, where there is a statutory requirement, to provide effective and efficient services, regulation and crime prevention, detection and prosecution. This includes, but is not limited to:

    • Isle of Man Ship Registry

    • The Marine Management Organisation (UK)

    • Law Enforcement Agencies

    • Fraud Prevention Agencies

    • UK Coastguard

  • With other bodies, stakeholders and partners (where we have your consent), which the Department may engage to further its aims and regulatory activities, including:

    • The Department’s Independent Fisheries Science Contractors

    • Manx Telecom (as part of the SMS text message service for licence holders)

What types of Personal Information are collected?

We may collect and hold the following Personal Information, dependent on the purpose:

  • Name, address, date of birth, phone number, email address

  • Payment details (sort code and bank account no.)

  • Your stated views and opinions

  • Commercial fishing vessel licence details (category of licence, and entitlements permitted to be fished in UK and IOM waters)

  • Commercial vessel fishing activity (position and times via VMS/IVMS)

  • Vessel owners' name, address, phone numbers and email addresses

  • Research institute name and contact person, as well as the research scientist and research vessel master name

Further, please note that we collect third party information via the Isle of Man sea fishing licence application, including:

  • Nominee contact details (name, address, email address), which is the person/company to whom the licence or any amendment or variations are sent at the request of a vessel owner or authorised company director of the company that owns the vessel

  • Master mobile number and/or email address

What legal basis is used to process your personal information?

Your Personal Information is processed where this is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Department. The basis for this processing may be found in:

Fisheries Act 2012
Wildlife Act 1990

How long is your Personal Information kept?

Your Personal Information will be kept in accordance with retention periods.
General correspondence is retained for five years

  • Fisheries infringements and enforcement cases for seven years

  • Serious fisheries infringements and enforcement cases for 25 years, as selected by PRO*

  • Commercial Isle of Man licence holders' specific fisheries authorisations and related correspondence is retained for seven years

  • History of changes with specific fisheries authorisations is retained for 25 years, but the associated personal information redacted after seven years

  • UK commercial vessel licensing for IOM registered vessels is retained, and kept for up to seven years beyond the licence becoming in-active

  • Commercial fisheries catch data (logsheets/catch returns) is retained indefinitely, but the associated personal information is redacted after seven years

  • Grant applications and claims are retained for the period of grant plus six years

  • Minutes of meetings are retained for 25 years, as selected by PRO*

*Please note the Public Record Office (PRO) selects records placing a duty upon DEFA to retain those records for 25 years before transfer to their office.

Scientific research surveys permitted are notified of on the website at surveysinIOMwaters Notification states the research institute name, research vessel name and the co-ordinates/location of the survey, and notice remains online for up to one month post-survey. Scientific data reports are retained for up to 25 years*.

How is your Personal Information kept safe?

The security and confidentiality of your information is very important to us.

We will ensure that:

  • Safeguards are in place to make sure personal data is kept securely

  • Only authorised staff are able to view your data

  • Whenever any processing of personal information is considered that has not been carried out before we will risk assess the entire process and consult the Information Commissioner's Office if we determine there is any high risk to your information cannot be mitigated

  • Staff training in data protection is a continuous process and all new staff must undertake online training

Automated processing

The Department does not carry out any automated processing.

What are your individual rights and choices are when sharing Personal Information with the Department?

You have a right to access your personal data to ensure that it is accurate, and to request that it is rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed if it is inaccurate.

To make any request relating to your data held by us, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the details below.

Guidance on making a Data Subject Access Request, when you can request copies of all the Personal Data held about you.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you may also complain to the Information Commissioner, whose details can be found on www.inforights.im, or the relevant supervisory authority. You may have a right to other remedies.

Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road
St John's
Isle of Man
IM4 3AS
Phone: 01624 686781
Fax: 01624 685851
E-mail: DPO-DEFA@gov.im

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