Questionnaire for for-hire diving operations

FOR HIRE DIVE/SNORKEL OPERATIONS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INFORMATION COLLECTION
1.

Authorizations to Collect the Information

The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 USC 1431, et seq.) authorizes the Grays Reef National Marine
Sanctuary to establish regulations to protect sanctuary resources or resolve user conflicts. This act also
authorizes the Sanctuary to do research and collect information necessary for evaluating new regulations or
monitoring the effects of existing and new regulations.
2.

How the Information Will Be Used

The Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary has developed a public process to evaluate and revise its
current management plan and regulations. Through this public process and in consultation with the
Sanctuary Advisory Council, the Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary has revised its regulations to
include a prohibition on spear fishing. In addition, alternatives have been evaluated a preferred alternative
submitted to review and clearance in the regulatory process to create a research only area. The information
will be used in monitoring and evaluating the socioeconomic impacts of Sanctuary management strategies
and regulations.
3.

Statement of Burden

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average about three hours per
response, including 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 aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing burden, to Dr. Vernon R. (Bob) Leeworthy, Chief Economist, National Ocean Service, office
of National marine Sanctuaries, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC 4, 11th floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Reference OMB Control Number 0648-xxxx, Expiration Date: xxxxxxxx.
4.

Your Participation and Protections of Proprietary Information

Your participation is voluntary. 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 the collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
The information in this survey will be treated as sensitive and protected to the extent that it satisfies the
criteria for exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, and the Trade Secrets Act,
18 U.S.C. §1905. Any identifying information (name, name of business, address and telephone number) will
be viewed only by the contractor while collecting and compiling the data. The contractor will destroy the
identifying information when the databases are transmitted to NOAA.
.

Date of Interview________
OMB No. 0648-xxxx Exp. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Location of Interview:_________________________________________________
Recreational For Hire Dive Operations in the Georgia and GRNMS (Part 1)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name _______________________________
Telephone ___________________________
E-mail: _______________________________
Address: _______________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
1.

Which of the following includes your age?

18-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 over 60
2a. Are you Hispanic or Latino YES __ NO __
2b. What is your race? (Mark one or more)
__ White __ Black or African American __ American Indian or Alaska Native
__ Asian __ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
3. How many family members do you support (including yourself)?
Myself only 2 3 4 5 6 7 Greater and 7
4. Are you a member of any of the following groups?
a. NAUI
b. PADI
c. SSI
d. Chamber of Commerce
e. An Environmental Group
f. Other (specify) _________________________________

YES __
YES __
YES __
YES __
YES __
YES __

NO __
NO __
NO __
NO __
NO __
NO __

5. What is your primary port/marina? _______________________________________
6. Do you have a secondary port/marina, from where you dive part of the year? YES __ NO __
-

If YES, then which one? _____________________________________________

7. How many years have you been a dive/snorkel operator? ___ (number of years)
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Date of Interview________
OMB No. 0648-xxxx Exp. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Location of Interview:_________________________________________________
8. How many years have you been a dive/snorkel operator in the ocean & coastal areas off
Georgia? ___ (number of years)
9. Have you ever taken dive/snorkelers to the Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary?
(Interviewer—Please show map) YES __ NO __
-

If YES, how many years have you taken dive/snorkelers to the Grays Reef National
Marine Sanctuary? ___ (number of years)

10. What approximate percentage of your total business income is derived from the dive/snorkel
operation? ____%
11. What approximate percentage of your TOTAL personal income is derived from the
dive/snorkel operation? ____ %
12. What approximate percentage of your TOTAL household income is derived from the
dive/snorkel operation? ___ %
13. How would you describe your dive/snorkel operation? (Mark one or more)
___ Full-time dive/snorkel operation __ Part-time dive/snorkel operation
___ Seasonal dive/snorkel operation If seasonal, what months
____________________________
__ Full-time Combination dive/snorkel, fishing, and wildlife observation operation
__ Part-time Combination dive/snorkel, fishing, and wildlife observation
__ Seasonal Combination dive/snorkel, fishing, and wildlife observation If seasonal, what
Months for dive/snorkel ________________________
Months for fishing ____________________________
Months for wildlife observation ______________________________
ECONOMIC INFORMATION
14. Number of boats/vessels at the operation: ____ (number of vessels)
15. Capacity of dive/snorkelers per vessel in operation:
Vessel 1: ____divers/ ____snorkelers Vessel 2: ____divers/ ___snorkelers
Vessel 3: ____divers/ ____snorkelers Vessel 4: ____divers/ ___snorkelers
16. Capacity of fishers per vessel in operation:
Vessel 1: ____fishers Vessel 2: ____fishers
Vessel 3: ____fishers Vessel 4: ____fishers

2

Date of Interview________
OMB No. 0648-xxxx Exp. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Location of Interview:_________________________________________________
17. Capacity of wildlife observes per vessel in operation:
Vessel 1: ____wildlife observers Vessel 2: ____wildlife observers
Vessel 3: ____wildlife observers Vessel 4: ____wildlife observers
18. Number of employees at the operation:
a. Full time ____ b. Part time ____ c. Seasonal _____
19. Please provide your best estimate of the replacement value of the following items that you
used last year (fill in year ____).
a. Vessel(s) and electronic equipment:
b. Diving and snorkeling gear:
c. Compressors
d. Rods/Reels
e. Other gear (specify) _________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________

20. Outstanding balance on loan amounts for vessels and equipment $ _________
21. Please provide your best estimate for the following expenses last year:
Permits/Licenses:
Docking fees:
Interest payments on vessel(s):
P&I insurance on vessel(s)
Maintenance/repair on vessel/electronic equipment:
Maintenance/repair on dive/snorkel gear:
Maintenance on rods/reels:
Maintenance/repair on compressors:
Maintenance/repair on other equipment:
Other Dive equipment costs:
Advertising:
Office rent/mortgage:
Office utilities (electric, water, telephone, Internet):
Depreciation of vessels and equipment:
Business Taxes:
Other: ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________
$ __________

3

Date of Interview________
OMB No. 0648-xxxx Exp. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Location of Interview:_________________________________________________
22. Please provide your best estimate for the following trip related expenses last year:
Dive equipment costs:
Fuel/oil:
Ice:
Food/Supplies:
Bait:
Captain wages & salaries (if not owner-captain):
Crew wages & salaries Number: ____
Other (specify) _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________
$ _________

23. Please provide your best estimate of your total business revenues last year:
$ __________
24. Please provide your best estimate of your total revenues and/or percent of total revenues
(from Question 23) last year by each geographic area: (See map for definitions of each area)
All Areas
Georgia and GRNMS
Georgia outside GRNMS
Inside GRNMS

$ ________
$ ________
$ ________
$ ________

% _____
% _____
% _____
% _____

4

Date of Interview________
OMB No. 0648-xxxx Exp. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Location of Interview:_________________________________________________
PERSON DAYS AND TRIP COSTS
25. Please provide your best estimate of the number person days by type of activity for last year
and the percentage of person days by activity and area. (Interviewer – show map of areas). A
person day is one person for a whole day or any part of a day. 10 people on-board for an
overnight trip would be 20 person days.
Activity

Total
Persondays

All
Areas
(%)

SCUBA diving
Snorkelers
Fishing
Wildlife Observation
All Activities

Georgia
Outside
GRNMS
(%)

Inside
GRNMS
(%)

26. Please provide your best estimate of the cost per day for a typical day of operation by
activity.
Activity
SCUBA diving
Snorkeling
Fishing
Wildlife Observation

Fuel/Oil Ice

Bait

Food/
Supplies

Other

Crew

Captain
(if not owner)

27. Please provide the percentage of your person days of operation across each 1-minute by 1minute grid cell for each activity. This is a forward looking rather than just your past activity
patterns. We want to know where you expect you will conduct your activities in the future. This
will be used to assess the possible impacts of any future zoning of areas by GRNMS.
Coding sheet attached.

5

OMB No. 0648-xxxx. Expiration date: xxxxxxxxx.
For Hire Dive/Snorkel Operators in Georgia Part 2.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND PERCEPTIONS
1. Please check the sources of information that you have received in the past on the
GRNMS and score them to your level of trust. Score level of trust 1= No trust at all, 2=very
little trust, 3=neither trust nor distrust, 4=trust very much, and 5=completely trust.
Sources
Trust
SOURCE
Used
Sources
a. GRNNMS website
_____
______
b. GRNMS Staff
_____
______
c. Sanctuary Advisory Council
_____
______
d. GRNMS brochures/literature
_____
______
e. Internet
_____
______
f. Information in newspapers
_____
______
g. Radio
_____
______
h. TV
_____
______
i. Social Media (Twitter, You Tube)
_____
______
j. Word of mouth
_____
______
k. SCUBA diving magazines/newsletters)______
______
l. Others (specify, including people like a dive shop owner, other divers, a local
community leader, family member, friend, etc>)
_____________________________________________
______
_____________________________________________
______
_____________________________________________
______
For the next set of questions, please provide your answer on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 means
Strongly agree, 2 means Moderately agree, 3 means Neutral, 4 means Moderately
disagree, and 5 means Strongly disagree
2. The process that NOAA has used to develop rules and regulations for the GRNMS was
open and fair to all groups.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

3. The process has used by NOAA to develop boundaries and regulations for the GRNNMS
zones was open and fair to all groups.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

4. It has not mattered whether the average person participated in the workshops and
meeting on the GRNMS because the average person could not influence the final decisions.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

5. NOAA has not addressed the concerns of other federal and state governments in
developing rules and regulations for the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

6. NOAA has not addressed the concerns of individual citizens in developing rules and
regulations for the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

7. Once that the GRNMS regulations have been in effect, there has been no way that the
average person to voice his/her opinion on the usefulness of the regulations.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

8. The procedures that NOAA has established to deal with violations of GRNMS
regulations have been fair and just.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

NOTES

OMB No. 0648-xxxx. Expiration date: xxxxxxxxx.

ATTITUDES ABOUT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND REGULATION

1

In this section, we want to know what you think about current and proposed management
strategies in the GRNMS, the effects of those management strategies and regulations, and
how you think the GRNNMS management has performed.

15. Dive Operators have benefited from the establishment of the GRNMS.

In management plan review public scoping and Sanctuary Advisory Council meetings,
GRNMS has recently expanded its regulations to include a prohibition on spear fishing. In
addition, in consultation with the Sanctuary Advisory Council and public meetings, GRNMS
has evaluated several alternatives for a research only area in which all activities would be
prohibited, except research and education.
For the next set of questions, please provide your answer on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 means
Strongly agree, 2 means Moderately agree, 3 means Neutral, 4 means Moderately
disagree, and 5 means Strongly disagree

2

1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

10. I support the establishment of a research only area in the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

11. A research only area in the GRNMS would have a positive impact on the marine
environment.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

13. I support the prohibition of spear fishing in GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

14. There has been a net economic benefit to the coastal Georgia economy from the
establishment of the GRNMS.

2

1

5

3

I don’t know

4

5

I don’t know

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

17. I support the no anchoring regulations in the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

18. I support the current no discharge regulations in the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

19. I support the current no harvest of bottom formations or taking of invertebrates inside the
GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

20. I support the rod-and-reel and hand line only fishing regulation in the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

21 I support the no taking of marine mammals and turtles in the GRNMS.

12. There should be more areas set aside as a research only area in the GRNMS.
1

4

16. GRNMS regulations have had no effect on my business.

9. I support the GRNMS as it is currently established.
1

3

1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

22. I support the requirement of using a mooring buoy instead of anchoring in the GRNMS
with the limit of vessel size for mooring use of 100 feet or less.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

23. I support stricter regulations on discharging of pollutants in the GRNMS.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

OMB No. 0648-xxxx. Expiration date: xxxxxxxxxx.
24. Please rate the status/condition of the following resources at the GRNMS by their status/condition since the implementation of the GRNMS
(1981), where 1 is much better and 5 is much worse.
RESOURCE

Better -------- Worse

a.

Water quality

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

b.

Sea-based pollution/marine debris

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

c.

Live bottom

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

d.

Other bottom habitat

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

e.

Fish populations (bottom fish)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

f.

Fish populations (other fish)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

g.

Fish population (diversity)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

h.

Other sea life (abundance)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

i.

Other sea life (diversity)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

j.

Mooring buoys

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

k.

Invasive species (lionfish)

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

25. The GRNMS is mostly responsible for the status/condition of the resources that you rated in the previous question.
1

2

3

4

5

I don’t know

26. In which area(s) has the GRNMS been most successful?
_____________________________________________________________________
27. In which area(s) has the GRNMS been least successful?
_________________________________________________________________