A federal fisheries survey is in the works for 2015 to
improve data on the contributions of commercial fishing and seafood processing
to the economy of Southwest Alaska.
Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle plan to conduct the
processor and support industry sector portion of the survey from early-to-mid
2015, and selected harvesters in mid-to-late 2015, NOAA Fisheries announced in
mid-September.
Participation is voluntary and the survey should take no
more than 45 minutes to complete. Data contributed by survey respondents will
help fisheries managers, state and local governments, businesses and others to
make better decisions, thereby increasing the long-run economic benefits to
communities and stakeholders engaged in or affected by fishing activities, they
said.
The survey will ask questions about expenditures by
harvesters and processors, including payments for labor, supplies and other
costs of operation, and what portion of the spending is made in communities in
the Southwest region, elsewhere in Alaska, and outside of the state.
Because of the sensitivity of the information participants
are asked to provide, all data will be handled confidentially, NOAA officials
said in an announcement Sept. 19. Only summary survey results will be released
to the public, and no data identifying individual vessels or businesses will be
revealed.
NOAA scientists plan to contact selected shoreside
processors, floating processors and catcher processors, plus local support or
supply businesses in early-to-mid 2015 to arrange for personal interviews. From
mid-to-late 2015 selected harvesters will receive a questionnaire by mail. Vessel
registrants receiving a questionnaire will be able to respond by mail or online
by logging on to a secure website link provided in the survey packet.
General questions about the harvesting vessel survey may be
directed to Chang Seung of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center at
1-206-526-4250 or chang.seung@noaa.gov
Direct questions regarding personal interview with
processors and other businesses To Edward Waters, at 1-503-804-8857 or email dewaters@hotmail.com