Fishing Industry Stakeholders Survey

Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
Fishing Industry Stakeholders Survey

GARFO has contracted with Vision Planning and Consulting (VPC) to develop a Groundfish
Monitoring Strategic Communications Plan to help improve communications around the
Amendment 23 development process, specifically with fishermen, sectors, dealers, and other
fishing industry stakeholders. GARFO knows it can communicate better with the fishing industry. In
an effort to close this communications gap, we are surveying various stakeholders.
This survey is intended to gather information on:
· the types of information you find useful;
· how often you would like to receive this information; and
· which channels or methods would be most effective for communicating with you.
This survey can be completed anonymously and should take approximately 10 minutes. Questions
marked with a star require a response.

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Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
Tell us about you:

* 1. Please identify your industry affiliation (check all that apply).
Fisherman/Captain/Vessel Owner

Environmental Preservation/Advocacy Group

Sector Manager/Agent

Educational/Institutional

Dealer/Buyer

Local/State Government

Monitoring Service Provider (ASM or EM)

Family Member Associated with Fishing Industry

Industry Group/Organization
Other (please specify)

* 2. Which state are you based in?
Maine

Pennsylvania

New Hampshire

Delaware

Massachusetts

Maryland

Rhode Island

Washington DC

Connecticut

Virginia

New York

North Carolina

New Jersey
Other (please specify)

3. Would you like to provide your contact information?
Name
Sector or Organization
Port
Email Address
Phone Number

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Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
Fisheries and Data Questions

We would like to ask you a few questions about the fisheries, data collection and usage, and
Amendment 23.

* 4. Where do you generally fish (check all that apply)?
Inshore Georges Bank

Inshore Gulf of Maine

Offshore Georges Bank

Offshore Gulf of Maine

Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic

I do not fish

5. What kind of information would be most helpful to you in learning about monitoring programs and/or
participating in the Amendment 23 development process?

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Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
Communications Questions

Below are a few questions about HOW you receive information from NOAA/GARFO, and the type of
information and communications you like or dislike.

* 6. How do you currently receive news or information from GARFO regarding the Amendment, industry,
sectors, and/or regulations (check all that apply)?
Mail

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Email

NOAA Navigator

Port Agents

Meetings

Sector Managers

TV/News

Industry Groups

In Person/Phone Call

GARFO Website
Other (please specify)

* 7. How do you prefer to receive news or information from GARFO regarding the Amendment, industry,
sectors, and/or regulations (check all that apply)?
Mail

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Email

NOAA Navigator

Port Agents

Meetings

Sector Managers

TV/News

Industry Groups

In Person/Phone Call

GARFO Website
Other (please specify)

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* 8. Which communications outlets are least helpful to you (check all that apply)?
Mail

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Email

NOAA Navigator

Port Agents

Meetings

Sector Managers

TV/News

Industry Groups

In Person/Phone Call

GARFO Website

* 9. How often would you like to receive news or information from GARFO regarding the New England
Groundfish Fishery or the Amendment 23 Development Process?
Daily

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Amendment 23 Information
Other (please specify)

Groundfish Fishery Information
Other (please specify)

10. Please select your top three informational/communications GARFO products.
Newsletters
GARFO Website
Fishery Bulletins/Permit Holder Letters
Emails
Manuals/Guides/Reference Documents
Fishery Information Sheets
Fishery Management Handbook
Fish OnLine
NOAA Navigator
Posts on Social Media
Public Events Calendar

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* 11. What kind of information do you feel GARFO is not communicating clearly or in an easy to
understand format (check all that apply)?
Amendments

Studies/Results

Frameworks

Observer Programs

Data

Managed Species

Projects

Regulations/Quotas

Scientists/Representatives
Other (please specify)

* 12. Please rank how well GARFO communicates about various initiatives, projects, and other fisheriesrelated info.
Poor

Below Average

Average

Above Average

Excellent

Amendments
Frameworks
Data
Projects
Scientists/Representatives
Studies/Results
Observer Programs
Managed Species
Regulations/Quotas

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* 13. How often do you use each of the following GARFO outreach products or methods?
Many
times a
day

Once a
day

3-4 times
a week

Once a
week

3-4 times
a month

Once a
month

3-4 times
a year

Once a
year

Never

Newsletters
GARFO Website
Fishery Bulletins/Permit
Holder Letters
Emails
Fishery Information
Sheets
Fishery Management
Handbook
Fish OnLine
NOAA Navigator
Twitter
Facebook
Public Events Calendar
Meetings/Workshops

14. GARFO distributes many outreach products both online and in print. For each of the following GARFO
controlled outlets, please answer how you feel about the design of the product.
Well designed, attractive, and
easy to navigate

Somewhat confusing in design;
not always easy to navigate

Poor design, and very hard to
navigate

GARFO Website
Fishery
Bulletins/Permit Holder
Letters
NOAA Navigator
Fishery Information
Sheets
Fish OnLine
Events Calendar
Fishery Management
Handbook
Supporting Documents
(Code Declaration
Guide, Quota Reports,
etc.)

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* 15. Would you like to see GARFO develop content in a language other than English?
No
Yes
Please specify language

* 16. If GARFO were to host Amendment 23 Communications Workshops, would you feel comfortable
speaking about communications efforts, issues, and challenges in the presence of NOAA representatives?
Yes
No
Other (please specify)

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Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
In your own words

We would like to ask you a few questions to hear your opinion on GARFO communications in your
own words.
17. What kind of information would you like to receive more of from GARFO?

18. What kind of information would you like to receive less of from GARFO?

19. What do you see as the biggest communications challenge for GARFO in the next five years?

20. Closing thoughts: Is there anything else you would like to share with NOAA regarding how GARFO staff
communicates with the fishermen, sectors, dealers, or other industry representatives?

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Draft - GARFO - New England Fishery Stakeholder Communications Survey
Fishing Industry Stakeholders Survey

Thank you for taking the time to fill out the New England Fishing Industry Survey for the GARFO
Groundfish Monitoring Strategic Communications Plan. We thank you for the information you have
communicated to us in the past, we appreciate the industry involvement, and we hope that this
survey targeted towards larger groups allows us to better use the information you provide, and
allows us to improve our outreach efforts on Amendment 23 and in other fisheries communications.
Survey responses will be kept confidential and will not be distributed outside GARFO. The results
of this survey are intended to inform better outreach and communications efforts and will not be
used to develop regulatory actions or monitoring requirements.
For more details, or if you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact:
Ashley Samonisky
Vision Planning and Consulting
asamonisky@vision-pc.net
888-872-9626

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