Confidentiality and Copyright

Confidentiality

WSBRC has a statutory duty to make environmental information it holds available to any person that requests it under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. However, under Regulation 12, data can be withheld if it is considered ‘sensitive’ by either the supplier or us. This will depend on the nature of the enquiry and the purpose to which the data is being used.

Species records regarded by WSBRC as confidential are listed within the annex of the Data Access Policy. If the data search area encompasses such species the enquirer will be informed and may make a request in writing for the details to be released. The WSBRC will then apply its confidentiality procedures and release the details under specific terms if it is able to do so.

Copyright

WSBRC receives data from a variety of sources, ranging from volunteer recorders to large organisations. WSBRC retains copyright on its database holdings, and individuals and groups who have provided their records free of charge retain copyright on their data. The data supplied to an enquirer can only be used in the context of the specified project for which the enquiry was made. It may not be published or supplied to third parties without written consent from WSBRC.