LPTS Survey

OMB No. 0648-0380 (Exp. xx/xx/xxxx)
Private LPTS Questionnaire

Q1. Introduction

Hello, my name is [INTERVIEWER NAME] and I’m calling from [CONTRACTOR NAME
AND LOCATION]. We are interviewing marine fishermen for a study sponsored by the
National Marine Fisheries Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Our records show that
the [VESSEL NAME] has an HMS permit and is owned or operated by [RESPONDENT
NAME]. May I please speak with [RESPONDENT NAME]?
[1] Respondent is available
[2] Proxy is available (after Wed. only)
[3] Respondent/Proxy NOT available
[4] Respondent deceased/disabled

Continue to Q2
Go to Q4
Go to Q3
Go to Screener Q2

Q2. Survey description

We are calling people with HMS permits to ask them a few questions about fishing trips. This
study is being conducted under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. Your
answers will be kept confidential, and data from this survey may only be released in
accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974.
Q3. Callback

What day would be the best to call back? [Record day]
Who should I ask for when I call back? [Record respondent]
Go to END
Q4. Proxy introduction (Not available on Mondays and Tuesdays)

Perhaps you can help me. We are surveying all people with HMS permits to ask a few questions
about their fishing tips targeting large fish such as tunas, sharks, billfish, dolphin, amberjack or
wahoo. This study is being conducted under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention
Act. Your answers will be kept confidential, and data from this survey may only be released in
accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974. Do you know if the boat was used in the last two
weeks to fish for any of these species?
[1] Yes (Proxy says boat took no trips)

Continue to screener
question 1
Go to END
Return to Q3
Go to Inactive vessel

[2] No (Proxy says boat took no trips)
[3] Proxy does not know; call back for captain
[4] Boat is Inactive

Q5. Confirm proxy status: This question will determine if the proxy respondent is qualified to answer the
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questionnaire.

Can you answer questions about fishing trips taken last week, that is Mon.-Sun., [RECALL
DATES], by the [VESSEL NAME]?
[1] Yes - Go to Screener Q1
[2] No - Return to Q3
Screener question 1. Confirm the captain’s name and ownership status

IF RESPONDENT: Are you the captain or owner of the [VESSEL NAME]?
IF PROXY: Is [RESPONDENT] still the captain or owner of the [VESSEL NAME]?
[1] Yes
Go to Screener Q4 (see “Note” below)
[2] No
Continue to Screener Q2
[3] Boat sold Continue to Screener Q2
Screener question 2. New owner name

Do you know the name of the owner or captain of the [VESSEL NAME]?
[1] YesRecord new owner/captain’s name - Continue.
[2] No
Thank respondent and Terminate.
Screener question 3. New owner phone number

Do you know the telephone number of the owner or captain?
[1] Yes
[2] No

Record new owner/captain’s telephone number.
Thank respondent and Terminate.

Screener question 4. Permit category

Our records show that the [VESSEL NAME] has an Angling category HMS permit. Is that
correct?
Alternatively:

Our records show that the [VESSEL NAME] has a General category Atlantic
permit. Is that correct?
[1] Yes
[2] No
[9] DK/RF

Continue
Go to Screener question 4A

Screener question 4A. Permit category

What category HMS permit does the vessel have?
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Tunas

[1] General
[2] Angling

[3] Charter/headboat
[9] DK/RF

Screener question 5. Do you/the captain ever sell fish like tunas or sharks caught from [VESSEL NAME]?

[1] Yes
[2] No
Screener question 6. State of principle port

Do you/the captain usually dock or launch this vessel in [STATE PORT]?
[1] Yes - Go to SQ7

[2] No – Continue

Screener question 6b. Other state of principal port

In what state do you usually dock or launch this vessel?
If the respondent state of principal port is included in LPS then Continue.
If the respondent state of principal port is not one of the survey states for the LPS,
terminate the Interview.
Screener question 7. LPS fishing

Is [VESSEL NAME] ever used to fish with rod and reel or handlines for tunas, sharks, billfish,
dolphin, amberjack or wahoo?
[1] Yes
[2] No

Continue to Survey Questions Q6
Terminate interview

Q6. Trips - recreational fishing total

During the weeks of [RECALL DATES] how many saltwater fishing trips targeting finfish did
the [VESSEL NAME] take?
[0]
[1 - 25]
[99]

None
Record Number
Refused

Go to END
Go to Q7

Q7. Target species

For one trip: Did you target a large pelagic species such as tunas, sharks, billfish, dolphin,
wahoo, amberjack, or similar offshore species on this trip? ENTER 0 IF “no”. ENTER 1 IF
“yes”.
For more than one trip: On how many of these trips did you target a large pelagic species, such
as tunas, sharks, billfish, dolphin, wahoo, amberjack, or similar offshore species?
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[0]
[125]
Check Box

NO
YES

Go to END
Continue

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 the last Monday.
TRIP PROFILE LOOP – Begin with most recent trip and work backwards
Q8: Trip Date, beginning with the most recent trip taken.

BACKWARD THROUGH THE RECALL PERIOD [RECALL DATES].
Did your boat take any saltwater fishing trips that ended on [MOST RECENT RECALL
DATE]?
[1] Yes - Go to Q9 (start of trip profile)
[2] No - Continue backward through week(s) to Monday {date} by day.
[9] Don’t Know / Refused - Continue backward through week(s) to Monday {date} by day;
if respondent doesn’t know or refuses the days of all trips reported in Q Go To Q, code [2] NO, #Reported LPS trips does not match # LPS trips in trip records! Do you want to go back
and correct the # LPTS trips? 1 Yes go back to Q7 2. No – Make Sure you report the reason for
this discrepancy on the Exceptions Spreadsheet code CM
Q9: Did this trip target offshore large pelagic fishes such as tuna, sharks, billfish, dolphin, amberjack or
wahoo?

[1] Yes - Continue to Q9 (LPS trip profile)
[2] No - Return to Q8 and continue backward through week by day.
Q10: How many people were actively fishing?

[Record the number of people actively fishing, or record DK/RF if they don’t know, or refused
the question]
Q11: Did this trip return to a [STATE PORT] marina, dock, or launch ramp?

[1] Yes
[2] No

Go to Q12
Continue to Q11b

Q11b: To what state did your boat return from this trip?

[Record State ] If NOT ON LIST code NON-ATLANTIC CC AND go to
Next Trip
Q12. To what county did this trip return?

[Record County ] Or specify other Or Refused
Q13. To what marina, dock or launch ramp did this trip return?
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[Record dock ] Continue to Q14
or choose “Private Access Site” Continue to Q13b
or “Other Public Access Site”, then record location name in the Other Specify box or Refused.
Q13a. In what city or town is this public access site located?
Q13b. After this fishing trip, did you stop at any other site, (either for fuel, ice, bait, to clean or weigh-in
your catch or some other purpose) before returning to the [PRIVATE ACCESS SITE / PUBLIC ACCESS
SITE LOCATIO NAME]?

[1] Yes
[2] No

[Record dock ] or choose “Other Public Access Site”

Q14. Did this trip cover more than one day of fishing?

[1] Yes
[2] No

Continue to Q14a
Go to Q15

Q14a. How many days of fishing occurred on this trip?

[Record number of days]
Q15. At what time, to the nearest half-hour, did your boat leave the dock for that trip?

[Record time in military format]
Q16. At what time, to the nearest half-hour, did your boat return from that trip?

[Record time in military format]
Q17. To the nearest half-hour, how much time was spent actively fishing with gear in the water?

[Record time]
Q18. What fishing method or methods were used on that trip?

[Check all that apply: Trolling, Bottom Fishing, Casting, Fly-Fishing, Drifting, Chunking,
Chumming, Other, DK, RF]
Q19. What species were targeted on that trip? That is, when you left the dock, what species were you
planning on fishing for?

[Select species from drop down list – if any of the following are selected…]
Sharks, unidentified Go to Q19a
Tuna Genus
Go to Q19b
Billfish Family
Go to Q19c
Other large pelagic Go to Q19d
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Q19a. Which type of shark were you fishing for?

[Shortfin Mako, Blue shark, No specific shark, Other shark, DK, RF]
Q19b. Which type of tuna were you fishing for?

[No specific type, Yellowfin Tuna, Bluefin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, DK, RF] If Bluefin go to Q19c,
otherwise go to Q20.
Q19c. What species or size class of tuna?

[0] No specific size class
[1] School
[2] Medium
[3] Large
[8] Don’t know
[9] Refused
Q19d. Which type of Billfish were you fishing for?

[Sailfish, Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Swordfish, No specific Billfish, DK, RF]
Q19e. Please specify which “other” large pelagic species.

[Record first reported fish or group of fish]
Q20. Were you participating in a tournament on that day?

[1] Yes
[2] No
[8] Don’t know/Don’t remember
[9] Refused

Continue to Q21
Go to Q22
Go to Q22
Go to Q22

Q21. What was the name of the tournament?

[Record tournament name ] if Other Name? [Record Name]
DK/RF
Q22. Were you primarily using a rod and reel on this trip?

[1] YesGo to Q23
[2] No
Continue to Q22a
Q22a. What type of gear was primarily used on that trip?

[Rod and Reel] – Go to Q23
[Handline] – Go to Q23
[Harpoon] - Go to next trip
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[Other] – Specify, Go to Q22b
Q22b. Is that a "rod and reel" type of fishing?
[1] Yes
[2] No – Go to next trip
Q23. How many lines were used on that trip?

[Record number]
Or Check DK/RF
Q23. What type of bait was used during that trip?

[1] Live
[2] Dead

[3] Artificial

Q24. Did you use any other type of bait on that trip?

[1] Yes
[2] No

Specify other bait used
Continue to Q25

Q25. What was the name of the fishing grounds on which you did most of your fishing?

[Record response ]
Or Specify Other Fishing Grounds OR DK/RF
Q26. How many miles was the fishing grounds from the nearest shoreline?

[Record response]
Or record check box for DK/RF
Q27. What was the average ocean depth, in feet, where you were fishing?

[Record depth either in [feet] or [fathoms] box] or record DK/RF
Q28. What was the surface water temperature in degrees Fahrenheit?

[Record temp] or record DK/RF
Q29. NOW I’D LIKE TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FISH YOU CAUGHT ON THIS
TRIP; DID YOU CATCH ANY FISH?

[1] Yes
[2] No
DK
RF

Continue to Q30
Go to Next Trip

Q30. What type of fish did you catch?

[Record response ] use up to 10 dropdown lists.
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Or what other type of fish did you catch? [specify]
If “Tuna Genus” is selected:
30a. What type of Tuna did you catch?

[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

Bluefin tuna (then go to 30b.)
Bigeye
Yellowfin
Other Tuna

Q30b. What size class of Bluefin tuna?

[1] Young School (< 27” CFL)
[2] School (27” – < 47 “ CFL)
[3] Large School (47” - < 59” CFL)
[4] Small Medium (59” - < 73” CFL)
[5] Large Medium (73” - < 81” CFL)
[6] Giant (81” or > CFL)
[8] Don’t know
[9] Refused
30c. If “Billfish Family” is selected, Did you Catch White Marlin, Blue Marlin, or
Roundscale Spearfish?
[1] Yes
[2] No
[3] DK/ RF
30d. If “Sharks, Unidentified” is selected, Were any of the following species of shark
caught?
[1] Shortfin Mako Shark
[2] Blue Shark
[3] Sandbar Shark
[4] Dusky Shark
[5] Porbeagle
[6] Don’t Know/Don’t Remember
[7] Refused
If DK/ RF go to next trip.
If no Bigeye tuna, Bluefin tuna, White Marlin, Blue Marlin, Roundscale spearfish,
Porbeagle, Blue Shark, Dusky Shark, Sandbar Shark, Shortfin Mako Shark , Yellowfin
tuna, Albacore tuna, Skipjack tuna, Thresher shark, or Dolphin caught then GO to END.
31. For Bigeye tuna, Bluefin tuna (with size class specified), White Marlin, Blue Shark,
Dusky Shark, Sandbar Shark, Blue Marlin, Roundscale spearfish, Porbeagle and
Shortfin Mako Shark, Interviewer will be prompted to ask...
[1] How many
did you keep?
[2] How many
did you release alive?
[3] How many
did you release dead?
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32. For Yellowfin tuna, Albacore tuna, Skipjack tuna, Thresher shark, and Dolphin,
Interviewer will be prompted to ask...
[1] How many
did you keep?
[2] How many
did you release alive?
[3] How many
did you release dead?
Inactive Vessel
When will the boat be active again?
[Record month and year when vessel will resume activity] – Go to End
END
“Those are all of the question that I have for you, thank you for your time and cooperation.
Have a good day/evening, goodbye.” -To be read whenever the question sequence takes the
interviewer out to end.

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