For-hire survey

OMB Control No. 0648-0709
Expiration Date: TBD
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3.5 minutes per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection
of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions
for reducing this burden to John Foster, NOAA Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Hwy SSCM3
Room 12400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

This is a voluntary survey, and responses are kept confidential as required by section 402(b) of
the Magnuson- Stevens Act and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of
Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form
without identification as to its source. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person
is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to
comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control
Number.

Hello, I’m calling on behalf of NOAA Fisheries Services and the For-Hire Survey. Can I please speak to
name of contact? If person sought is not available, ask if they will be available anytime this week. If
yes, scheduled convenient time to call back to talk to that person, thank respondent, and terminate
interview. If no, thank respondent and terminate interview.
Are you still the captain, owner or designated representative of the [vessel name]?
If “yes”, ask: Can you provide information on the activity of the [vessel name] during the last week
(Monday through Sunday)?
If “yes”, continue to survey description.
If “no”, ask:

Is someone else currently operating the [vessel name]?
If “yes”, then ask: Do you know the name and telephone number of new
contact?
If “yes”, take name and telephone number, thank respondent and
terminate interview.
If “no”, denote whatever information is given and terminate
interview.

The [vessel name] has been selected at random from a directory of for-hire fishing vessels to be included in
this week’s survey of trips. The information you provide will be used to estimate total fishing effort and
catch by the for-hire sector which is essential for assessing the health of fish stocks. This data will remain
confidential, and this survey is being conducted in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, therefore your
participation is voluntary. The estimated reporting burden for this survey is approximately 3.5 minutes.
(Continue with interview)

INTRO TWO: (for previously interviewed vessel reps)
Hello this is [interviewer name] calling on behalf of NOAA Fisheries for the For-Hire Survey. May I
speak with [contact name]?
Alternate survey description for re-contacts:
The [vessel name] has been selected for this week’s sample and I am calling to collect your effort
information for this time period. As you know, this data will remain confidential, and this survey is being
conducted in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, therefore your participation is voluntary. The
estimated reporting burden for this survey is approximately 3.5 minutes.
(Continue with interview.)

Q1

During the last week (Monday through Sunday), how many saltwater fishing trips targeting finfish
did the [vessel name] take?
Record –
If Q1=0, go to Q18.

Q2

How many of these trips were with paying passengers?
Record –

Q3

How many of these trips consisted of more than one day of fishing?
Record –

Q4

During the last week (Monday through Sunday), how many additional non-fishing trips did your
boat make? Please include any trips taken for fuel, bait, or other recreational activities.
Record – If Q4>0, go to 4A.

Q4A

On what days did each of these additional boat trips occur?
Record –
Now that we have information on the total number of trips taken, we would like to obtain specific information
about each of these trips. We will begin with the most recent recreational fishing trip and work backwards to
last Monday.

Q5

Did your boat take any saltwater fishing trips that ended on day of week (starting with Sunday)?
If “yes”, obtain the total number of trips that day. Repeat this and the following questions
for each day of the week. If more than one trip is made in one day, profile each trip
separately for that day.
1=Monday
2=Tuesday
3=Wednesday
4=Thursday
5=Friday
6=Saturday
7=Sunday

Q6

How many separate fishing trips did you take on [trip_date]?
Record –

Q6A

Was this trip with paying passengers?
Yes –
No –

Q7

We are only interested in collecting information about passengers who actively fished by having a
line in the water. Excluding captain and crew, how many people actually fished during the trip?
Record –

Q8

Did this trip return to a [State where vessel was sampled] marina, dock, or launch ramp?
Yes – Go to Q9

No – Go to Q8A
Q8A

To what state did your boat return from this trip?
Record –

Q9

To what county did this trip return? (Record FIPS code for county of trip).
Record –

Q10

Did this trip return to a marina, dock, or launch ramp to which the public normally has access? If
so, to what particular marina, dock, or launch ramp did this trip return? (Record MRFSS 4-digit
site code)
7777=private access site
8888=unknown public access site
9999=refused site information

Q11

At what time (to the nearest half-hour) did your boat leave the dock for that trip? (Record return
time as military time)
Record –

Q12

At what time (to the nearest half-hour) did your boat return from that trip? (Record return time
as military time)
Record –

Q13

To the nearest half-hour, how much time was spent actively fishing with gear in the water?
(Record vessel fishing hours. If vessel fishing hours exceed 24 hours record “yes” for multiday trip and split into individual day trips on consecutive days with equal fishing hours)
Record –

Q14

What fishing method or methods (read all options) were used on that trip? (Record as many
options as offered)
1=trolling
2=bottom fishing
3=casting
4=fly-fishing
5=drifting
6=chunking
7=chumming
8=other
97=don’t know
99=refused

Q15

Was most of your fishing effort on that trip in the ocean, a gulf, a river, a sound, an inlet, or a bay?
1= ocean – Go to Q 15A
2= sound – Go to Q16
3= river – Go to Q16
4= bay – Go to Q16
5= inlet or other non-ocean water body – Go to Q16

Q15A Was most of your fishing less than or greater than three miles from shore?
1=less than 3 miles
2=greater than 3 miles
Q16

Did this trip cover more than one day of fishing?
Yes – Go to Q16A
No – Go to Q17

Q16A How many days of fishing occurred on this trip?
Record –
Q17

What species were targeted on that trip? That is, when you left the dock, what species were you
planning on fishing for? (Record 10-digit NMFS codes for up to two species or species
groups; refer to state or regional short list of species and species groups)
[26] Other Species
[98] Don’t know/Don’t remember
[99] Refused

FOLLOW-UP
Q18

Did you receive notification from us that we would contact you for this interview? If “no”, ask
for correct mailing address and briefly explain that a letter will be sent prior to any later
contacts and continue.
Yes – Go to Q19
No – Record correct address. Go to Q19
Don’t know – Go to Q19
Refused – Go to Q19

Q19

In case the vessel name is ever selected again for this survey, at what time of day would you prefer
to be called? (Record preferred time as military time)

Those are all of the questions that I have for you, thank you for your time and cooperation. Have a good
day/evening. Goodbye.