Alaska Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Survey

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

John Smith
123 Main Street
Anywhere, USA 12345
Dear

NOAA Fisheries (the National Marine Fisheries Service) is conducting a study to learn
more about charter halibut permit (CHP) holders’ views of, and experiences with, the
Alaska Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP). We are interested in hearing your opinions
about the CSP, particularly about the Guided Angler Fish (GAF) leasing program and
similar programs. With your help, we can provide better information to fishery managers to
improve and enhance fishery management practices.
Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You were selected since you
hold a CHP. We are contacting all CHP holders, but the population is small, so your help is
critical to the survey’s success. In the next few days, you will receive a questionnaire in the
mail from , a survey research firm that is assisting us in conducting the
survey.
Even if you are unfamiliar with the specifics of the CSP and the GAF leasing
program, your opinion matters. To keep costs low and to make sure we hear from
enough CHP holders for the results to be scientifically valid, we need to hear from you.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,

Dan Lew
Project Director
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

John Smith 
123 Main Street 
Anywhere, USA  12345 

Dear  

Enclosed is the questionnaire I wrote to you about last week. 

We need your help to learn about the effects of the Alaska Halibut Catch Sharing Plan in Alaska.  
With your help, we can provide better information to fishery managers that can help them in 
making sound policy decisions. 

The survey discusses the Guided Angler Fish (GAF) leasing program, as well as other related 
programs.  Even if you have no experience with leasing GAF, your opinion matters. Although your 
participation is voluntary, you are part of a small population of charter halibut permit (CHP) holders 
being contacted to participate, so hearing from you is really important. 

The survey takes most people about 30 minutes to complete, sometimes more, sometimes less.  
All information you provide in the survey is considered confidential under section 402(b) of the 
Magnuson‐Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.) and NOAA Administrative Order 216‐100.  Only 
aggregated results from the survey will be released publicly.  Your personal information will not be 
disclosed and will only be accessible to authorized personnel responsible for management and 
research of fisheries under the authority of NOAA. The identification number on the survey is there 
so that , a survey firm hired to assist us, can check your name off when the 
questionnaire is returned. If you have any questions, please call them toll‐free at 1‐800‐XXX‐XXXX. 

We realize your time is valuable and truly appreciate your participation in this survey. 

Thank you for your help, and please remember to complete all the questions. 

Sincerely, 

Dan Lew 
Project Director 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  

Last week a questionnaire was mailed to you seeking information about your opinions about the
Alaska Halibut Catch Sharing Plan.
If you have already completed and returned the questionnaire, please accept our sincere
thanks. If you have not completed and returned it, we ask that you do so today.
It is very important that we hear from you. Since the population of saltwater sport fishing
charter businesses is small, your voice matters. Your response will help inform decision makers
about this topic. However, a high rate of participation is required to include the results from the
questionnaire.
If you need another copy of the questionnaire, please call , a survey firm
hired to assist us, at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and a questionnaire will be mailed to you today.
Thank you for your help.
Dan Lew
Project Director
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Halibut CSP Survey
TELEPHONE FOLLOW-UP
Hello, my name is ________________ and I am calling from in ,
on behalf of National Marine Fisheries Service’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. I am trying to
reach [name on address].
[IF NOT AVAILABLE] Thank you, I will call back later. When would be a good time
to reach [name on address]?
[IF QUALIFIED RESPONDENT IS ON THE PHONE]
QA

Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire asking you about your opinions about the
recently-implemented Halibut Catch Sharing Plan in Alaska. The survey had a picture of
charter boats on the cover and was titled “Your Opinions About GAF in the Halibut
Catch Sharing Plan”. Do you remember receiving that questionnaire?
1 YES
2 NO [SKIP TO QA2]

QA1

As of today, we have not received your completed questionnaire. As a charter halibut
permit holder, you are probably aware of the regulatory changes that have occurred in the
Alaska saltwater sport fishing charter sector in recent years, including the adoption and
implementation of the Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (commonly called the CSP). The
purpose of this survey is to gather information from CHP holders like you about their
views on the CSP and similar programs. As one of a small population of CHP holders we
are contacting, your response is very important, and we would greatly appreciate it if you
would participate in the survey. Would it be possible for you to complete the mail survey
and return it in the next week?
1 YES [SKIP TO VERIFY]
2 NO [SKIP TO QA3]
3 SURVEY HAS ALREADY BEEN RETURNED [THANK YOU, SKIP TO
CONTINUE]

QA2

We are collecting information Alaska charter halibut permit holders to help the federal
government better assess the economic effects of management and regulatory actions
(currently in place or potential) on Alaska charter boat fishing businesses. Your input is
very important since if too few people respond, the results of the analysis cannot pass
scientific standards, and thus will not be used to inform decision makers about CHP
holders’ views of current and potential management actions. If we sent you a
questionnaire in the mail, would it be possible for you to complete it and return it within a
week of receiving it?

1 YES [SKIP TO VERIFY]
2 NO TO MAIL SURVEY [SKIP TO QA3]
3 SURVEY HAS ALREADY BEEN RETURNED [THANK YOU, SKIP TO
CONTINUE]
QA3

Okay, would you be willing to take the survey over the telephone today?
1 YES, telephone survey now – [SKIP TO TELEPHONE_SURVEY]
2 YES, but not now – [SKIP TO RESCHED]
3 NO - [SKIP TO QB]

RESCHED: (If they indicate they’ll take survey by telephone at a later date)
Okay, thanks for agreeing to complete the survey by telephone. We expect it will take
about 30 minutes. What date and time would you be available to complete the interview?
Date: __________________________
Time: __________________________

Thank you, We will call you back then. If possible, please have the paper questionnaire
available when we call, as the interview goes faster if you have the survey handy. [GO TO QB]

VERIFY (If new survey needs to be sent)
I would like to verify the address for [name of business] as…
STREET ADDRESS_________________________________________
CITY__________________________STATE _______ ZIP__________
PHONE___________________________________________________
Is this correct?
1- NO – [RECORD NEW ADDRESS.]
2- YES
Okay, I will send another questionnaire out today. [GO TO CONTINUE]
CONTINUE (If they indicate survey has been or will be returned)
Thanks for your participation. [GO TO QB]

QB

It is very important for our analysis that we understand how those who haven’t returned
the survey compare to those who did. This way we will not misinterpret the results.
Could I take about 4 minutes to ask you a few questions that will help us with our work?
I’d like to remind you that all of your answers are confidential and your name will not be
revealed to anyone.
1 YES [SKIP TO Q1]
2 NO [THANK AND TERMINATE]

Classification Questions

Q1

A main purpose of the Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) is to establish how much of the total
allowable catch of Pacific halibut is allocated between the recreational charter and
commercial fisheries. In general, how positively or negatively do you view the CSP as a
whole?






Q2

Very positively
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor negatively
Somewhat negatively
Very negatively

The CSP allows charter halibut permit (CHP) holders to lease Individual Fishing
Quota (IFQ) from commercial fishermen holding quota shares for Pacific halibut. When
leased, the IFQ, which are measured in pounds, are converted to guided angler fish
(GAF) using an area-specific conversion factor based on the previous year’s average
weight of GAF. (CHP holders owning commercial IFQ may convert a portion of their
IFQ into GAF as well.) GAF can be used by charter clients to harvest up to two fish of
any size per person per day, regardless of charter-specific bag and size limits.
In general, how positively or negatively do you view the GAF component of the Catch
Sharing Plan?






Q3

Very positively
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor negatively
Somewhat negatively
Very negatively

How positively or negatively do you believe the ability to use GAF will affect your
business?






Very positively
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor negatively
Somewhat negatively
Very negatively

Q4

Do you plan to lease GAF during 2015?
 Yes
 No
 Don’t know

[IF RETURNING SURVEY] Thank you, this will help with our preliminary analysis. Receiving
your completed survey will greatly help improve our understanding of CHP holders’ views of
halibut management in Alaska. Thanks again, and have a good evening.
[IF NOT RETURNING QUESTIONNAIRE] That’s all the questions I have for you. Do you
have any comments that you would like to add? Thank you for your time. We really appreciate
your participation in this brief survey. Thanks again, and have a good evening.
[END]
TERMINATE
[IF RESCHEDULED FOR TELEPHONE INTERVIEW] Okay, we will call you back at
on . Thanks again and have a good evening.
[IF NOT] Okay, thank you for your time and have a good evening.

[TO BE COMPLETED BY INTERVIEWER]
Respondent gender:

MALE
FEMALE

LANG Language or other barrier:
1 YES, POSSIBLE LANGUAGE BARRIER
2 YES, DEFINITE LANGUAGE BARRIER
3 NO LANGUAGE, BUT OTHER TYPE OF BARRIER [SPECIFY]
4 NO BARRIERS

OTHER RESPONDENT COMMENTS
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS AND ANSWERS
[If concerned about purpose of the call] This is not a marketing or sales call. We are collecting
public input for government, industry, and citizen groups to consider when evaluating ways to
manage fish species, like halibut, that are targeted by charter businesses in Alaska. I want to
assure you that your answers will be kept confidential and your name will not be revealed to
anyone.
[If asking about the study sponsor] This survey is being conducted by the Alaska Fisheries
Science Center, a scientific branch of NOAA Fisheries, also known as the National Marine
Fisheries Service, a U.S. government agency charged with understanding the effects of federal
management actions and policies affecting the nation’s saltwater and freshwater fisheries.
[If concerned about confidentiality of information they provide] All information you provide in
this phone call and in the survey is considered confidential under federal law, including the
Magnuson-Stevens Act or the Trade Secrets Act – the details are described in NOAA Administrative
Order 216-100. In short, only aggregated results from the survey will be released publicly. Your
personal and business information will not be disclosed and will only be accessible to authorized
personnel responsible for management and research of fisheries under the authority of NOAA. All
authorized personnel have signed nondisclosure agreements specifying penalties for unauthorized use
and disclosure of confidential fisheries data.