The Future of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales - What is Your Op

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

The Future of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales
What is Your Opinion?

The population of beluga whales in the Cook Inlet of Alaska declined rapidly during the 1990s
and consequently was listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act in 2008.
Some actions have been taken to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales and more actions are now
being considered. This survey collects public opinions about these possible new actions.
Government officials will consider your opinions, along with information from scientists and
planners, when selecting what and how much to do.
Even though you may not be familiar with this issue, your opinions matter. Government actions
to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales will affect all U.S. households through federal government
spending.

The material in this survey is based on the best available information from
government, university, and industry scientists.
This survey is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, a U.S. government agency charged with making decisions
about Cook Inlet beluga whale management activities.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 25 minutes, including time for reviewing instructions, reviewing existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Notwithstanding any other provision of
the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject 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. Your name and
address will be kept separate from your responses. Only your responses will be provided to the researchers for analysis.

Q1 Protecting threatened and endangered species is one of many issues facing the U.S. To help
us place this issue in perspective, answer this question based on what you know now. For each
issue, compared to what is being done now in the U.S., do you think we should be doing less,
doing about the same, or doing more? For each item, check one box.

Make government more efficient.………............................
Improve education..……………………….........................
Protect threatened and endangered species..........................
Improve roads and highways...............................................
Encourage economic growth and jobs.................................
Clean up air and water pollution..........................................

Do less

Do about
the same

Do more

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The Issue: Endangered Cook Inlet Beluga Whales
The Cook Inlet beluga whale is protected as an endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
According to the act:

An endangered species is a plant or animal species that is in danger of going extinct in areas where
it normally lives.
A threatened species is a species that is at risk of becoming endangered in areas where it normally
lives.
The Endangered Species Act requires the federal government to take reasonable actions to protect
threatened and endangered species, such as limiting human activities that may harm them or protecting the
places where they live.

Q2

The Endangered Species Act currently protects 86 mammals, 90 birds, 138 fish, 294 other species
such as reptiles and insects, and 718 plants. When you think of the Endangered Species Act, how
positive or negative is your general reaction? Check one box.



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Mostly positive
Somewhat positive
Neither positive nor negative
Somewhat negative
Mostly negative
Don’t know

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The Endangered Species Act protects either the entire species, or one or more distinct populations
within a species. Distinct populations are different from the rest of the species because of physical,
genetic, ecological, or behavioral characteristics.
Cook Inlet beluga whales are a distinct population of beluga whales that are geographically isolated
and do not interact with other beluga whale populations in Alaska.

Q3

Before today, were you aware that the Endangered Species Act protects distinct populations for some
species in addition to entire species? Check one box.
 Yes
 No

Some people are interested in protecting threatened and endangered species because they:
Are a source of enjoyment and learning for people now and in the future.
May help to show whether the environment and ecosystem are healthy.
May provide medicines and other helpful substances for humans someday, even if we don’t yet
know what these uses are.
Have a right to exist and should not be endangered by man’s actions.
Some people are concerned about actions to protect threatened and endangered species because
they:
May place restrictions on what people can do, such as limiting recreation, forestry, land
development and use, and hunting and fishing activities.
May increase the cost of producing and providing goods such as food, housing, drinking water,
and lumber, which increases some of the prices consumers pay.
May not be effective if the decline of the species is due to causes beyond the control of humans.
Use government funds and resources that could be used for other important issues.

Q4

From strongly disagree to strongly agree, how do you feel about these statements?
Check one box for each statement.
Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

Protecting threatened and endangered
species is important to me............................

x

x

x

x

x

Protecting jobs is more important than
protecting threatened and endangered
species..........................................................

x

x

x

x

x

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The beluga whale is one of 11 whale species found in U.S. waters that are listed as Endangered
under the Endangered Species Act. The figure below shows these endangered whale species
(pictures are to scale).

3

Q5

Have you personally observed whales in nature (outside of aquariums)? Check one box.
 Yes
 No
 Don’t know

Some Beluga Whale Facts
Adult beluga whales are white in appearance, can grow to an average of 15 feet long, weigh over
3,000 pounds, and live about 30 years. Males are larger than females.
They are social animals, and typically hunt, travel, and interact in small groups.
Beluga whales are found in Arctic and subarctic regions of Russia, Greenland, and North
America, usually in areas of the ocean that are covered by ice during part of the year.
There are 29 distinct populations of beluga whales in the world, including 5 in Alaska.
In Alaska, beluga whales mostly eat fish, such as cod and salmon. An adult beluga whale may
eat 50 pounds of food in a day.
Some beluga whale distinct populations migrate, but others live in one area year round.

Q6

Before today, had you ever seen, heard about, or read about beluga whales? Check one box.
 Yes
 No
 Don’t know

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Beluga Whales in the U.S.

Anchorage

Gulf of
Alaska

Bering Sea

Pacific Ocean
From: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries Service. 2008.

Five beluga whale populations (or “stocks”) live in U.S. waters off the coast of the State of Alaska in
the Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, and Cook Inlet (see map).
Population estimates for the 5 distinct populations of beluga whales in the U.S.:
U.S. beluga whale distinct population
Approximate size of distinct population
(current population trend)
Beaufort Sea
32,000 (not known if increasing or decreasing)

Q7

Eastern Chukchi Sea

3,700 (appears to be stable)

Eastern Bering Sea

15,000 (not known if increasing or decreasing)

Bristol Bay

4,000 (appears to be stable or increasing)

Cook Inlet

321 (decreasing)

From strongly disagree to strongly agree, how do you feel about the following statement?
Check one box.
Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

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Since some distinct populations of U.S.
beluga whales are increasing or stable, I am
not concerned about the ones that are
decreasing.....................................................

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Cook Inlet Beluga Whales
Of the five distinct populations of beluga whales found in the U.S., the Cook Inlet beluga whale is
considered by scientists to be the most isolated, both geographically and genetically, from the other
populations. It is also the smallest of the five U.S. populations of beluga whale. The Cook Inlet
beluga whale lives in Cook Inlet year round.
Currently, the Cook Inlet beluga whale is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Q8

Before today, had you ever seen, heard about, or read about Cook Inlet beluga whales?
Check one box.

 Yes
 No
 Don’t know
Cook Inlet beluga whales live most of the year in the northern part of Cook Inlet near Anchorage,
Alaska’s largest city. Because of where it lives, the population of Cook Inlet beluga whales is
vulnerable to pollution and human activities.
In Alaska, Alaska Native tribes have hunted beluga whales for food, oil, and traditional uses for
centuries. Beluga whale hunting in U.S. waters is only permitted for Native tribes and is illegal for
all others.
Between 1994 and 1998, over 300 beluga whales were killed in the Cook Inlet by Alaska Natives
in legal hunts. This was a dramatic increase from the small hunts reported in the past.
The population declined by almost a half during this period of increased hunting.
Scientists believe Alaska Native hunting was the primary cause of this decline. In 1998, the federal
government began restricting Cook Inlet beluga whale hunting by Alaska Natives.
Between 1999 and 2006, Alaska Natives killed a total of five beluga whales in legal hunts in the
Cook Inlet.
Beginning in 2007, all hunting of Cook Inlet beluga whales was suspended until the population
has recovered enough for hunting to resume.
As a result of these protection actions, scientists believed the Cook Inlet beluga whale population
would begin increasing by 2% to 6% per year.
Despite these measures, the population of Cook Inlet beluga whales is not growing as scientists had
expected and has declined to 321 whales. It is not known whether this is a result of natural factors,
human-related factors, or a combination of both.

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Numerous factors are believed to contribute to the continuing decline of Cook Inlet beluga whales,
and the extent to which each factor affects the population is being investigated by scientists. They
include the following:
Natural factors
Beluga whales becoming stranded in the mud during low tide
Killer whales chasing and eating beluga whales
Illness caused by parasites and disease
Human-related factors
Illegal hunting of beluga whales
Commercial and recreational fishing, decreasing the food available for beluga whales to eat
Pollution from sewage, airports, cities, and other sources causing illness or injury
Oil spills and noise from oil tankers and drilling platforms harming beluga whales
Dredging and building activities where beluga whales live
Ships and boats hitting or disturbing beluga whales
Underwater noise, damaging or interfering with beluga whales’ hearing

Q9

After looking at the information in this handout, how concerned are you, if at all, about the
Cook Inlet beluga whale? Please check one box.
Not at all
concerned


A little
concerned


Somewhat
concerned


Very
concerned


Extremely
concerned


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x

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Scientists have predicted that without changes to reverse the decline of the Cook Inlet beluga
population from the current 321 whales, the population is likely to disappear permanently. With a
small population, Cook Inlet beluga whales are more vulnerable to rare events, such as oil spills or
there being few successful births.
Using the best information and prediction methods available, scientists have estimated that under
current conditions, there is a 25 percent risk (1 in 4 chance) that the population will be extinct in
100 years (by the year 2110).

Q10 How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Check one box.

A 25% risk of extinction in 100 years for
Cook Inlet beluga whales makes me
concerned that they will actually go extinct.

Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

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x

x

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New Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Protection Actions
To help the population recover, the federal government is considering additional actions to protect
Cook Inlet beluga whales and their habitat from human activities that may increase the risk of
extinction.
Recover means the species’ population has increased to the point where, the risk of extinction in the
foreseeable future is very small and the species can be removed from the list of endangered and
threatened species.
Examples of possible protection actions include restricting vessel traffic and speed in parts of the
Cook Inlet, further regulating commercial fishing, reducing sources of pollution, ensuring coastal
development minimizes impacts on Cook Inlet beluga whales, and increasing surveillance activities to
identify and rescue stranded whales and prevent illegal hunting.
The costs of the protection actions vary a great deal and depend upon the specific actions taken.
Regardless of the type of action taken, these actions will require more enforcement of existing
restrictions, and more monitoring and research to improve our understanding of the distinct population
and the threats to it, particularly in the areas of the Cook Inlet used most by beluga whales.
Additional protection actions, above and beyond those currently in place for the Cook Inlet beluga
whale, will cost every U.S. household more money.
Your household’s costs increase through higher prices for products you buy and through increases in
your federal taxes.
Most of the increased cost will occur in the first 10 years while industries adjust to new requirements,
and to fund more government enforcement and monitoring.

Q11 How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Please check one box.

Even if it costs us more money, we should
do more so that the Cook Inlet beluga
whale recovers..............................................
Even if businesses and individuals are
negatively affected by them, the most
effective protection actions should be used
to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales……….

Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

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x

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What Alternatives Do You Prefer?
As we have discussed, new alternatives are being considered to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales.
Your opinions are important to help understand what alternatives the public prefers, and will be
used to help decision makers set policy. So, your responses are likely to affect government spending
and the amount and use of your taxes.
The next questions compare the expected results for the Cook Inlet beluga population after 50 years
under alternative programs of regulations, and government enforcement and monitoring. In each
question, you are asked to compare Alternative A with two other alternatives:
Alternative A presents the expected Endangered Species Act status and risk of extinction of the Cook
Inlet beluga population after 50 years without additional protection actions beyond those currently in
place. Continuing the current actions would not increase the costs to your household.
Alternatives B through I present the expected Endangered Species Act status and risk of extinction of
the Cook Inlet beluga whale population after 50 years under a range of the many possible alternatives
that do more and cost more to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales.
-

The added cost to your household each year for 10 years above the cost of the current program is
also listed.

-

Remember, if you spend money for this, it won’t be available to buy other things.

Questions 12, 13, 14, and 15 cover a range of alternatives and costs. Since scientists are still
working on the alternatives and estimating the possible costs, the results and costs for the
alternatives may vary across questions. Please answer each question considering only the results
and costs presented in that question.

For hypothetical questions like these, studies have shown that many people say they are willing to pay
more for protecting threatened and endangered species than they actually would pay out of their pockets.
We believe this happens because people do not really consider how big an impact an extra cost actually
has to their family’s budget when answering these types of questions. It is easy to be generous when you
do not really need to open your wallet.
To avoid this, as you consider each question, please imagine your household actually paying the cost of
the alternative you select out of your household’s budget.

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Q12 Which of the following three alternatives do you most prefer, and which do you least prefer?
Please indicate your responses below the table.
Results in 50 years for each alternative
Alternative A
Alternative C
Alternative B
Current program
Population status………………...
(endangered now)

Endangered

Risk of extinction by the year
2110……………………………..
(25% now)
Added cost to your household
each year for 10 years………….

Threatened

Endangered

25%

15%

20%

$0

$40

$10

Alternative A

Alternative B

Alternative C

Which alternative do you prefer
the most? Check one box------>

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Which alternative do you prefer
the least? Check one box------>

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Q13 Here is the current program with two different alternatives. Which alternative do you most
prefer, and which do you least prefer? Please indicate your responses below the table.
Results in 50 years for each alternative
Alternative A
Alternative E
Alternative D
Current program
Population status………………...
(endangered now)

Endangered

Risk of extinction by the year
2110……………………………..
(25% now)
Added cost to your household
each year for 10 years………….

Endangered

Recovered

25%

23%

2%

$0

$5

$80

Alternative A

Alternative D

Alternative E

Which alternative do you prefer
the most? Check one box------>

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Which alternative do you prefer
the least? Check one box------>

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10

Q14 Here is the current program and two more alternatives. Below the table, indicate which of
these three alternatives you most prefer, and which you least prefer.
Results in 50 years for each alternative
Alternative A
Alternative G
Alternative F
Current program
Population status………………...
(endangered now)

Endangered

Risk of extinction by the year
2110……………………………..
(25% now)
Added cost to your household
each year for 10 years………….

Threatened

Threatened

25%

15%

20%

$0

$40

$20

Alternative A

Alternative F

Alternative G

Which alternative do you prefer
the most? Check one box------>

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Which alternative do you prefer
the least? Check one box------>

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Q15 Here, again, is the current program and two other alternatives. Below the table, indicate
which of these three alternatives you most prefer, and which you least prefer.
Results in 50 years for each alternative
Alternative A
Alternative I
Alternative H
Current program
Population status………………...
(endangered now)

Endangered

Risk of extinction by the year
2110……………………………..
(25% now)
Added cost to your household
each year for 10 years………….

Recovered

Threatened

25%

1%

10%

$0

$100

$50

Alternative A

Alternative H

Alternative I

Which alternative do you prefer
the most? Check one box------>

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



Which alternative do you prefer
the least? Check one box------>



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

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Q16 The following are statements some people tell us about their answers to Q12, Q13, Q14, and
Q15. How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Mark the
box of your response for each statement.
Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree











I did not feel it was my responsibility to
pay for the protection of Cook Inlet beluga
whales…………………………………......

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There was not enough information for me
to make an informed choice between the
alternatives………………………………...

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The added costs I was willing to pay were
just to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales,
and not to protect other species……………



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I was concerned that the federal
government will not effectively protect
Cook Inlet beluga whales…………………



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

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When answering Q12, Q13, Q14, and Q15…

I felt I should not have to pay more federal
taxes for any reason……………………...
I didn't think that scientists can make good
predictions about what will happen in 50 or
100 years………………………………….
I didn’t feel qualified to choose between
different levels of risks of extinction……..
I didn’t want to pay for Cook Inlet beluga
whale protections if there is still a risk it
may become extinct in the future…………

Q17 These questions were asked to obtain public input for decision makers to consider along with
information from scientists and planners. People feel differently about how confident they
are with their selection of alternatives and the costs they would have to pay.
How confident are you that your answers in Q12 through Q15 accurately reflect how you
feel about the alternatives for protecting Cook Inlet beluga whales? Check the best answer.
Not at all
confident

Slightly
confident

Somewhat
confident

Very
confident

Extremely
confident

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12

Q18 Listed below are statements about the relationship between humans and the environment.
For each statement please indicate how much you agree or disagree by checking the appropriate
box.
Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree











We are approaching the limit of the number
of people the earth can support……………











Humans have the right to modify the
natural environment to suit their needs……



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

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

When humans interfere with nature it often
produces disastrous consequences………..



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Human ingenuity will insure that we do not
make the earth unlivable………………….

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Humans are abusing the environment…….



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The earth has plenty of natural resources if
we just learn how to develop them………..



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Plants and animals have as much right as
humans to exist……………………………



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The balance of nature is strong enough to
cope with the impacts of modern industrial
nations……………………………………..



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Humans will eventually learn enough about
how nature works to be able to control it…



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If things continue on their present course
we will soon experience an environmental
catastrophe………………………………...



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13

About You and Your Household
This information is used to compare our survey respondents with the U.S. population. Your responses will be
kept confidential and separate from your name and address. Material identifying you will be destroyed at
the end of the study.

Q19 Are you male or female?
 Male
 Female
Q20 In what year were you born?

19_____

Q21 How many people do you live with in each of the following age groups?
If none for a category please write “0”.
Under 18

18 to 35

36 to 60

Over 60

Q22 Which of the following best describes your employment status? Check the box of your answer.





Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Homemaker
Student

 Retired
 Currently unemployed
 Other (please specify)_________________

Q23 Have you ever been a member or contributed time or money to an environmental or
conservation organization? Check the box of the best answer.





Yes
No
Don’t know

Q24 How many hunting trips and sport or non-commercial fishing trips, if any, have you taken in
the last 3 years? For each type of trip, check the best answer.
Hunting trips:  None
 1 to 3



Fishing trips:  None
 1 to 3



4 or more

14

4 or more

Q25 What is the highest grade or level of school you have completed? Check the best answer.








Some high school or less
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college
Two year college degree (AA, AS) or technical school
Four year college graduate (BA, BS)
Some graduate work but did not receive a graduate degree
Graduate degree (MA, MS, MBA, PhD, JD, MD, etc.)

Q26 Do you own or rent your residence? Check your answer.
 Own
 Rent
Q27 Are you Hispanic or Latino? Check the box of the best answer.



Yes
No

Q28 Which of the following best describes you? Check one or more.
 Asian
 American Indian or Alaska Native
 Black or African American

 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
 White

Q29 What was your household income (before taxes) in 2006? Check the box of the best answer.







Less than $10,000
$10,000 to $19,999
$20,000 to $29,999
$30,000 to $39,999
$40,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $59,999








$60,000 to $79,999
$80,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $124,999
$125,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $200,000
$200,000 or more

______________________________________________________________________
Is there anything we overlooked?
Please use the space below to provide us with any other comments you would like to make.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
15

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx
Expiration Date: mm/dd/yyyy

Telephone Follow-Up
[IF OBVIOUS YOUTH – Ask to speak with an adult]
Hello, my name is ________________ and I am calling from TBD in [City, State] on behalf of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I am trying to reach [name on address].
[IF RESPONDENT IS NOT AVAILABLE]  Is there another adult of the household that I
could speak to?
[IF NOT AVAILABLE]  Thank you, I will call back later. When would be a good
time to reach [name, or another adult head of household]?
[IF QUALIFIED RESPONDENT IS ON THE PHONE]
QA Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire asking your opinions about the future of Cook
Inlet beluga whales in Alaska and $X as a token of our appreciation for completing the
survey. The survey had a picture of a Cook Inlet beluga whale on the cover and some
color graphics inside. Do you remember receiving that questionnaire?
1
2

YES
NO [SKIP TO QA2]

QA1 As of today, we have not received your completed questionnaire. Your household is part
of a small group of people we are asking for opinions, so your response is very important.
If we send you another survey, could you find the time to complete the survey and return
it to us within a week of receiving it?
1
2
3
4

YES – SEND NEW SURVEY [SKIP TO VERIFY]
YES – DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SURVEY [THANK YOU. SKIP TO
CONTINUE]
SURVEY HAS ALREADY BEEN RETURNED [THANK YOU, SKIP TO
CONTINUE]
NO [SKIP TO QB]

QA2 We are collecting public opinions for the federal government to consider when
developing action plans for threatened and endangered species in Alaska. Your
household is part of a small group of people we are asking for opinions, so your response
is very important. If we send you another survey, could you return the survey to us
within a week after you receive it?
1
2
3

YES – SEND NEW SURVEY [SKIP TO VERIFY]
YES – DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SURVEY [SKIP TO CONTINUE]
NO [SKIP TO QA3]

QA3 Since we are only contacting a small number of households, it is very important that we
hear from your household. Your opinions will represent those of other households
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similar to you. The survey does not require any special knowledge. Is there another
adult head of household that would be interested in completing the survey?
1
2
3

QB

YES, GETTING THEM TO THE PHONE [REPEAT QA2]
YES, BUT NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME [SET CALLBACK]
NO [SKIP TO QB]

It is very important for our analysis that we understand how those who haven’t returned
the survey compare to those who did. This way we will not misinterpret the results.
Could I take about 4 minutes to ask you a few questions that will help us with our work?
I’d like to remind you that all of your answers are confidential and your name will not be
revealed to anyone.
1
2

YES [SKIP TO Q1]
NO [ASK FOR A MORE CONVENIENT TIME, OTHERWISE, THANK AND
TERMINATE]

VERIFY (If new survey needs to be sent)
I would like to verify some information that I have. I have your name as…
NAME____________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS_________________________________________
CITY__________________________STATE _______ ZIP__________
PHONE___________________________________________________
Thank you, I will send another questionnaire out today.
CONTINUE (If they indicate survey has been or will be returned)
Receiving your completed questionnaire will be very helpful. Could I take 3 minutes to ask you
4 questions to help us with our preliminary results until we receive your completed
questionnaire?
1 NO, or NOT NOW  OK. We look forward to receiving your completed
questionnaire.
[SKIP TO TERMINATE].
2 YES  [CONTINUE WITH EVALUATE]

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EVALUATE

Q1

This question is about your overall opinion of the Endangered Species Act.
Currently there are 74 mammals, 92 birds, 115 fish, 236 other species such as
reptiles and insects, and 746 plants protected under the Endangered Species Act.
When you think of the Endangered Species Act, how positive or negative is your
general reaction? Is it... (Read answer options)
1
2
3
4
5
9

Q2

Mostly positive
Somewhat positive
Neutral
Somewhat negative
Mostly negative
[DON’T READ – BUT CODE IF STATED] Don’t know

I will now read two statements. For each, tell me if you strongly disagree, somewhat
disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree.
Strongly
disagree

Somewhat
disagree

Neither
agree nor
disagree

Somewhat
agree

Strongly
agree

1 x

2 x

3 x

4 x

5 x

1 x

2 x

3 x

4 x

5 x



Protecting threatened and endangered
species is important to me............................
Protecting jobs is more important than
protecting threatened and endangered
species..........................................................







[RETURNING SURVEY]  I have just 2 quick questions about you and your household to help
us group your responses with others.
[NOT RETURNING SURVEY]  I have just 3 quick questions about you and your household
to help us group your responses with others.

Q3

In what year were you born?

19______
Refused

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Q4

[SKIP Q4 IF THEY INDICATE THEY ARE RETURNING THE SURVEY] Which of the

following best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9

Q5

Some high school or less
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college
Two year college degree (AA, AS) or technical school
Four year college graduate (BA, BS)
Some graduate work but did not receive a graduate degree
Graduate degree (MA, MS, MBA, PhD, JD, MD, etc.)
REFUSED

Into which of the following groups does your total annual household income fall
before taxes?
1
2
3
4

Under $30,000
$30,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $79,999
$80,000 and over

[IF RETURNING SURVEY]  Thank you, this will help with our preliminary analysis.
Receiving your completed questionnaire will greatly help to have an accurate understanding of
public opinion about government actions to protect Cook Inlet beluga whales.
[IF NOT RETURNING QUESTIONNAIRE]  That’s all the questions I have for you. Do you
have any comments that you would like to add? Thank you for your time. We really appreciate
your participation in this brief survey. Thanks again, and have a good evening.
TERMINATE
[TO BE COMPLETED BY INTERVIEWER]
Respondent gender:
MALE
FEMALE
LANG Language or other barrier:
1 YES, POSSIBLE LANGUAGE BARRIER
2 YES, DEFINITE LANGUAGE BARRIER
3 NO LANGUAGE, BUT OTHER TYPE OF BARRIER [SPECIFY]
4 NO BARRIERS
DID THE RESPONDENT INDICATE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?
A I don’t care about Cook Inlet beluga whales or T&E species
B I don’t know about Cook Inlet beluga whales, T&E species, etc.
YES
OTHER RESPONDENT COMMENTS

4

NO

YES
NO

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____________________________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS AND ANSWERS
[If concerned about purpose of the call] This is not a marketing or sales call. We are collecting
public input for government, industry, and citizen groups to consider when developing action
plans for threatened and endangered species in Alaska. I want to assure you that your answers
will be kept confidential and your name will not be revealed to anyone.
[If asking about the study sponsor] This survey is sponsored by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, a U.S. government agency charged with making decisions about
threatened and endangered marine mammals.
[Response to: “Why did you send money with the survey?”] The survey is very important and
we find we can get more citizen input for less money by including a small token of our
appreciation with the survey. More people return the survey faster, so we don’t have to contact
as many households, or contact you as often, to get an accurate sample of the public’s input.
[I don’t know anything about Cook Inlet beluga whales or beluga whales]. The survey does
not require to you have any special knowledge, we just ask that you consider each question and
respond with your own opinion.
[I don’t care about Cook Inlet beluga whales]. It is important that we hear that on the survey.
If we only receive surveys from people who care a lot, that would result in biased results about
what public opinion really is.

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