Survey for Mid-Atlantic Small Chain and Individual Stores

 

<Date>

<BUSINESSNAME>

<STREET ADDRESS>

<CITY>, <ST> <ZIPCODE>

 

To the manager of <BUSINESSNAME>,

 

You have been selected to participate in the Marine Recreational Bait and Tackle Economic Survey, the first-ever national study to better understand the economic contributions of saltwater bait and tackle stores. Information you provide will inform federal and state decision-makers about the impacts of proposed changes in fisheries regulation on coastal communities, and help quantify the effects of natural disasters and economic downturns on your industry.

Within the next few weeks you will receive a survey in the mail from [contractor] on behalf of NOAA Fisheries, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The questionnaire will ask about your business’ costs and revenues, the marine recreational fisheries your business serves, and your impressions on how various factors are affecting your business.

Please consider lending your perspective to this voluntary study. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with any other government agency or organization. Survey results will only show aggregated industry-level data at the regional and national levels.

If we have contacted you by mistake and your business does not sell recreational fishing bait and tackle, please just let us know. We have included a postage-paid postcard with this letter. Simply return the postcard to us and we won’t inconvenience you with any subsequent mailings.

If you should have any questions or concerns about this study, please feel free to contact me at 301-427-XXXX or cliff.hutt@noaa.gov.

 

Sincerely,

 

Clifford Hutt

Office of Science and Technology

NOAA Fisheries Service

Silver Spring, MD 20910

 

NOAA Fisheries is conducting an economic study of stores that sell marine recreational fishing bait, tackle, and related equipment. Your store was selected for this study from a list of bait and tackle stores in coastal states compiled by NOAA Fisheries with the assistance of state fisheries agencies and industry groups. If your business does not sell recreational fishing bait and tackle, and was included in our study in error, please check the box below, and return this postage-paid postcard to us to ensure you are not bothered with any subsequent mailings. Please return the postcard as soon as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

NO, my business does not sell marine recreational fishing bait, tackle, and equipment. Please remove my store from your study, and do not send me any additional mailings.

<Date>

<BUSINESSNAME>

<STREET ADDRESS>

<CITY>, <ST> <ZIPCODE>

 

To the manager of <BUSINESSNAME>,

Here is your Marine Recreational Bait and Tackle Economic Survey questionnaire that I mentioned in my letter from a few weeks ago. This first-ever national survey will fill an important gap in our current knowledge. With your help, we can showcase the importance of bait and tackle stores to coastal economies across the United States.

Please consider lending your perspective to this study by taking 20-30 minutes to complete the enclosed questionnaire.

NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce responsible for the conservation of our ocean resources. We are working with [contractor] to conduct this survey to better understand the economic contributions of saltwater bait and tackle stores. The research results will be made available to fisheries management councils, state agencies, and all interested citizens to inform the discussion of recreational fisheries policies.

You’ll notice the questionnaire asks about your business’ costs and revenues (particularly those related to recreational fishing bait and tackle sales), the marine recreational fisheries your business serves, and your impressions on how various factors are affecting your business.

We realize this is sensitive information and as such, we have an enormous responsibility to ensure your information is used appropriately and kept secure. Your responses are completely voluntary and confidential. The questionnaire has an identification number for mailing purposes only; we use it to check your survey off the list when it is returned.

Only through your responses can we more fully understand the economic importance of the recreational fishing industry. Please consider joining your peers and adding your voice to this important study.

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Please call me at 301-427-XXXX or send an email to cliff.hutt@noaa.gov. Questions can also be addressed to [contractor] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or XXX@XXX.com.

Thank you for your help. I look forward to your response.

 

Sincerely,

 

Clifford Hutt

Office of Science and Technology

NOAA Fisheries Service

Silver Spring, MD 20910

<Date>

 

Last week you should have received a questionnaire asking about your business’ costs and revenues related to marine recreational fishing bait, tackle, and equipment sales.

• If you have already completed and returned the survey to us, please accept our sincere thanks.

• If you have not had a chance to return it, please consider doing so in the next few days.

You are part of a small sample of recreational bait and tackle stores invited to participate. Your response ensures we accurately reflect the importance of your industry in the region. Even if sales related to marine recreational fishing are only a small part of your business, your responses are still very important to the survey results.

 

We’re happy to send you another copy if you did not receive the original questionnaire or simply misplaced it. Just call [contractor] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or send us email at XXX@XXX.com to request a new questionnaire.

 

T hank you again for your consideration. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Clifford Hutt

NOAA Fisheries Service

Silver Spring, MD 20910

 

<Date>

<BUSINESSNAME>

<STREET ADDRESS>

<CITY>, <ST> <ZIPCODE>

 

To the manager of <BUSINESSNAME>,

 

About three weeks ago, you should have received a survey in the mail that asked about your business’ costs and revenues related to marine recreational fishing bait, tackle, and equipment sales. As of <date>, we have not yet received your completed survey. If you have already returned your survey, thank you very much for your participation in this study. In the event that your survey has been misplaced, a replacement is enclosed.

We currently lack adequate economic information on marine recreational fishing bait and tackle stores. With your help, we can change that. This survey will improve our understanding of the contributions of marine recreational fishing bait and tackle stores to the economies of coastal states and to the nation, and allow policy makers to better assess and minimize the effects of agency decisions on the industry.

 

Your response does have an impact. In order for the results of this survey to be truly representative of all bait and tackle stores in coastal communities, it is essential that as many stores as possible return survey questionnaires. Please be assured that we value your privacy. Your answers are strictly voluntary and confidential.

If by some chance your business does not sell recreational fishing bait and tackle, and was included in our study in error, write “do not sell bait and tackle” on the front of the enclosed questionnaire and return to us so we can remove you from our list.

I appreciate you taking the time to consider helping with this survey. If you have any questions about this survey, please call me at 301-427-XXXX or send an email to cliff.hutt@noaa.gov. Questions can also be addressed to [contractor] at XXX-XXX-XXXX or XXX@XXX.com.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Clifford Hutt

Office of Science and Technology

NOAA Fisheries Service

Silver Spring, MD 20910