0409_ ss_090809 Part B

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission:
Socioeconomic Research and Monitoring Program in Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary: Commercial Fishing Panels and Dive Shop Logbooks

OMB CONTROL No. 0648-0409

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, 11th floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Contact: Dr. Vernon R. (Bob) Leeworthy
(301) 713-7261
Bob.Leeworthy@noaa.gov

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B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any
sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities
(e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the
universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation
must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has
been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.
For the commercial fishing panels, a sample of 5 to 10 fishing operations has been selected for
each panel. Selection was based on a representative set of operations for each panel. This was
done by accessing the fish ticket data system maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Research Institute (FWRI). Fish tickets report type of species caught, amount of species caught,
revenue received by fisherman, location of where caught, and location of where landed. For the
Sambos Ecological Reserve panel, those that fished in the Key West region were first screened
for those that fished in the Sambos before July 1997. A representative panel of fishermen was
then assembled who agreed to be part of the long-term panel research. The same procedure was
followed for the Tortugas Ecological Reserve panel. For the panel of general commercial
fishermen in Monroe County that did not fish in any of the zones before their creation, a panel
was constructed that generally is representative of the entire commercial fishery in Monroe
County before July 1997. A similar procedure was followed for creation of the Marine Life
Collectors panel. These panels have been interviewed each year since 1998. Two panel
members have had to be replaced. One retired and the other died. New panel members were
recruited to replenish the panels.
For the dive shops, sampling methods are not used. Agreements have been made that all dive
shops will voluntarily participate in completing the dive logs. This will be a census of the dive
shops in the Key Largo and Key West areas. Statistical methods have been tested and peer
reviewed for combining on-water observation information with the dive log information in
deriving estimates of total use surrounding sinking sites for the Spiegel Grove and the U.S.S.
Vandenberg. A complete census of Dive Shops was not obtained in the case of the U.S.S.
Spiegel Grove (87% cooperation rate), but a method was developed using on-water observation
data to estimate use by non-responding Dive Shops. Seventy-two days per year of on-water
observation were obtained for both pre-sinking and post-sinking for the Spiegel Grove and for
pre-sinking of the U.S.S. Hoyt Vandenberg. All but three dive shops in the Key Largo/Tavernier
area have been providing their dive logs. All three of these dive shops have continued to be
relatively low users of the study areas for the Spiegel Grove and consequently the development
of a correction factor for extrapolating to total dive shop use was minimal.
2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for
stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy
needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring
specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data
collection cycles to reduce burden.
Commercial Fishing Panels: see Question 1 above.

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Dive logs: a census approach is used here. See Question 1 above.
3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse.
The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for
the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be
provided if they will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe
studied.
For the commercial fishing panels and the dive shops, non-response has not been a problem. We
expected and have received to date a high level of cooperation because the different user groups
had requested that we conduct such information collection efforts. Each of these user groups in
the FKNMS think that the information collections proposed here are needed in the
Socioeconomic Monitoring Program for the FKNMS.
For the Dive Shops, local industry leaders have been used to contact Dive Shop
owners/managers to get cooperation. When a Dive Shop refuses to cooperate, industry leaders
are informed and they make efforts to get participation. So far, cooperation has been very good.
Only three Dive Shops in the Key Largo area did not provide their Dive Logs. On-water
observation data will continue to be used to derive a correction factor to extrapolate to the total
population of use. Initial review of the on-water observation data reveal that the three Dive
Shops that refused to supply their dive logbooks are relatively low users of the study area and
therefore the correction factor for extrapolating from sample to population will be small.
4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as
effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB
must give prior approval.
There is no need for additional testing. Both these efforts are on going and have been working.
5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical
aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other
person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.
Socioeconomic Monitoring Program Director
Dr. Vernon R. Leeworthy
Chief Economist
NOAA, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
1305 East West Highway, SSMC 4, 11th floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Telephone: (301) 713-7261
Fax: (301) 713-0404
E-mail: Bob.Leeworthy@noaa.gov

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Data Collection Methods and Statistical Methods (consultants)
Manoj Shivlani
Lead Expert
Center for Independent Experts
Northern Tiaga Ventures, Inc.
10600 SW 131st Court
Miami, FL 33186
Telephone: (305) 383-4229
e-mail: mshivlani@ntvifederal.com
Thomas Murray
Thomas J. Murray & Associates and Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
P.O. Box 1083
Gloucester Point, VA 23062-1083
Telephone: (804) 684-7190
Fax: (804) 684-7161
E-mail: tjm@vms.edu

Contractors for Data Collection
Commercial Fishing Panels
Thomas Murray
Thomas J. Murray & Associates and Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
P.O. Box 1083
Gloucester Point, VA 23062-1083
Telephone: (804) 684-7190
Fax: (804) 684-7161
E-mail: tjm@vms.edu
Manoj Shivlani
Lead Expert
Center for Independent Experts
Northern Tiaga Ventures, Inc.
10600 SW 131st Court
Miami, FL 33186
Telephone: (305) 383-4229
e-mail: mshivlani@ntvifederal.com

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Dive Logs
Tom Maher
Marine Habitats, Inc.
3424 Old St. Augustine Road
Suite H
Tallahassee, FL 32311-5322
Telephone: (850) 514-2189
Fax: (850) 514-2189
E-mail: marinehabitatsinc@hotmail.com
Joe Weatherby
Artificial Reefs of the Keys, Inc.
P.O. Box 4190
Key West, FL 33040
Telephone: (305) 296-7088
Fax: (305) 296-5762

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Sub-contractor for Artificial Reefs of the Keys, Inc.
Resource Control Corp.
Chris Norwood, Project Manager
103 Willis Street
Rancocas, NJ 08703-0579
Telephone: (609) 261-3388
Fax: (609) 261-094
Bob Smith,
ARK Board Member
P.O. Box 1490, 305 Whitehead Street
Key West, Florida 33037
(305) 587-4210
uwsmitty@aol.com

References
Jeffries, C., Leeworthy, V.R., Fonseca, M., Ault, J., Bohnsack. 2009 (forthcoming). An
Integrated bio-physical and Socioeconomic Assessment of the Tortugas Ecological reserve in the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. National oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and Office of National
Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD. Forthcoming NOAA Technical Report.
Leeworthy, V. R. 2001. Preliminary findings from Two Years of Monitoring the Commercial
Fisheries: Impact of No Take Areas. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver
Spring, MD. Feb. 2001. Available at
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socioeconomic/floridakeys/pdfs/sambos98and99.pdf
Leeworthy, V.R., T. Maher and E.A. Stone. 2006. “Can Artificial Reefs Alter User Pressure on
Adjacent Natural Reefs? Bulletin of Marine Science, 79 (11): 29-37. Available at
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socioeconomic/floridakeys/pdfs/bms.pdf
Milon, J. W., D. O. Suman, M. Shivlani, and K. A. Cochran. 1997. Commercial fishers' perceptions
of marine reserves for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Florida Sea Grant Technical
Paper-89.
Thomas J. Murray & Associates. 2007. SOCIO-ECONOMIC BASELINE DEVELOPMENT,
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, fishing Years 1998 – 2006. Under contract to NOAA. June
2007. Available at
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socioeconomic/floridakeys/pdfs/commfishpan7and8.pdf

Shivlani, M. and Tonioli, F. 2007. 2003-04 and 2004-05 Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary Commercial Fishing Panels’ Spatial Fishing Profiles. April 2007. Available at
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socioeconomic/floridakeys/pdfs/commfishpan7and8gis.pdf

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