Non-Resident Alaska Fishing Survey

Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Survey
Popular Alaska Saltwater Sport Fish
Pacific Halibut
•
•
•
•

Available throughout the season
Average weight is about 25 pounds (range from 10 to over 100 pounds)
2011 daily bag (take) limit was 1 or 2 per day when charter fishing; 2 per
day otherwise
In 2011, there is a maximum size limit on halibut caught when charter
fishing in Southeast Alaska

King Salmon (Chinook)
•
•
•
•

Available throughout the season
Average weight is about 25 pounds (range of 15 to over 50 pounds)
2011 daily bag (take) limit was 1 to 2; in some areas, the daily limit was 2
for Alaska residents and 1 for non-residents
Minimum size limits and annual bag (take) limits apply in some areas

Silver Salmon (Coho)
•
•
•
•

Available from June through September
Average weight is about 11 pounds (range of 7 to over 15 pounds)
2011 daily bag (take) limit for non-king salmon varied from 5 to 10; in
some areas only 2 may be silver salmon
Minimum size limits apply in some areas

Other Salmon
•
•
•
•

Red (sockeye), pink (humpy), and chum (dog) salmon are available at
different times throughout the summer months
Sometimes caught, but rarely fished for by sport anglers in SALTWATER
2011 daily bag (take) limit for all non-king salmon was a combined total of
5 to 10 in most areas
Minimum size limits apply in some areas

Other Species
•
•
•

Includes lingcod and rockfish
For lingcod, 2011 daily bag (take) limit was 1 to 2 in most areas; minimum
size limits apply in some areas
For rockfish, 2011 daily bag (take) limit was 5 to 10 in most areas; no size
limits in 2011

Artwork courtesy of Alaska Department of Fish and Game – Sport Fish Division

Sponsored by NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service)
Your participation in this survey is voluntary. All responses are confidential.
OMB Control # 0648-XXX
Expiration Date XX/XX/XX

Your 2011 Sport Fishing Activities in Alaska
The questions in this survey are about you and your fishing activities and opinions. Except when
specifically asked, please do not include any information about others who fish or travel with you.
Please use the included maps, Map A (Southeast Alaska) and Map B (Southcentral Alaska), when
needed.
In this survey:
 Freshwater fishing is any sport (recreational) fishing in rivers, lakes, and streams.
 Saltwater fishing is any sport (recreational) fishing in the ocean or bays but does not include
salmon caught in rivers or in tidal saltwater at the mouth of a river.
 A fishing trip is any trip that includes recreational fishing. This includes travel to the location
where you fished. Many anglers fish for more than one day on fishing trips.

A1

Did you take any sport (recreational) fishing trips to Alaska before 2011?
Check one box.
 Yes
 No

A2

During 2011, how many different visits to Alaska that included saltwater fishing did you
make from your home (outside Alaska)? Please write the number of visits in the space below.
______ Alaska visits that included saltwater fishing

A3

During 2011, how many total days did you spend freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing in
Alaska? Count partial days as full days.
______ freshwater fishing days
______ saltwater fishing days

A4

During 2011, in which areas of Alaska (Southeast Alaska, Southcentral Alaska, or other
areas in Alaska) did you fish on your freshwater or saltwater fishing trips?
Check all that apply.
 Southeast Alaska – see Map A
 Southcentral Alaska – see Map B
 Other areas in Alaska – any area in Alaska not shown in Map A or Map B
(e.g., Fairbanks)

A5

In 2011, did you take any saltwater fishing trips for halibut, salmon, lingcod, or rockfish in
Alaska? Check your response and follow the directions.
 Yes  CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE
 No  SKIP TO PAGE 8
1

Your Most Recent Visit to Alaska That Included Saltwater Fishing
The questions in this section are only about your most recent visit to Alaska that included saltwater
sport fishing.

B1

Visitors who fish in Alaska may visit Alaska for a variety of reasons besides saltwater fishing
(including freshwater fishing, work-related activities, visiting family or friends, or nonfishing outdoor activities).
On your most recent visit to Alaska, on a scale from 1 (not at all important) to 10 (extremely
important) how important was saltwater sport fishing for why you were visiting Alaska?
Please check one box.
Not at all
important

Saltwater sport fishing as a reason for
visiting Alaska……………………….

B2

Extremely
important


1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8


9



10






















Would you have made this most recent visit to Alaska if you were unable to go saltwater
sport fishing? Check one box.
 Yes
 No

B3

During what month and year did this visit to Alaska begin?
Month: ____________

B4

Year: 20____

How many total days were you away from your home (where you live outside Alaska) on this
visit to Alaska? Include travel, fishing, and non-fishing days and count partial days as full days.
_____ Days

B5

How many total days did you spend saltwater fishing on this visit to Alaska? Count partial
days as full days.
_____ Days saltwater fishing

2

B6

How many people, including yourself, traveled on this visit to Alaska? Include all adults and
children, even if they did not fish.
_____ Adults

B7

_____ Children under 18

On this visit, did you travel by plane to the State of Alaska?
 Yes  I flew into:

 Juneau  Petersburg  Ketchikan  Sitka
 Kodiak  Anchorage  Cordova  Other: _________

 No

B8

On this visit, did you take a cruise ship into the State of Alaska from a non-Alaska port?
(e.g., Seattle, Vancouver)
 Yes  I took a ___ day cruise to Alaska departing from _________________ (departure port)
 No

B9

On this visit, did you stay at a fishing lodge for all or part of your saltwater fishing?
 Yes 

How much time did you spend traveling from the airport you flew into (or other
point of entry into Alaska) and the lodge you stayed at? Please write the oneway travel time.
____ hours

____ minutes

 No

3

B10 Approximately how much money did you personally spend for yourself and others during
this visit to Alaska? Do not include any costs paid by others. If you didn’t spend money on an
item, please write “0”.
Type of cost

Your costs for this trip
(round to nearest dollar)

Travel expenses to and from Alaska
Transportation, food, and lodging costs while traveling to and from
Alaska…………………………………………………………………..

$ __________

Non-fishing expenses while in Alaska
Transportation, food, and lodging costs not related to fishing while in
Alaska…………………………………………………………………..

$ __________

Fishing-related expenses while in Alaska
Fishing lodge/package costs……………………………………….
Transportation to and from saltwater fishing
Automobile/truck/RV fuel……………………………………...
Automobile/truck/RV rental…………………………………...

$ __________
$ __________
$ __________

Bus/taxi fares..………………………………………………….
Train fare……………………………………………………….

$ __________

Float/charter plane……………………………………………...
Airline airfare…………………………………………………...

$ __________
$ __________

Ferry…………………………………………………………….

$ __________

Fishing-related food and lodging
Lodging (trailer parks, campgrounds, hotels, etc.)……………..

$ __________

Food and drink (restaurant)…………………………………….

$ __________

Food and drink (non-restaurant)………………………………..

$ __________

Other fishing-related costs
Fish/combination license fees (only if bought on trip)…………

$ __________

Guides or charter fees (including tips)………………………….

$ __________

Fishing boat rental……………………………………………...

$ __________

Fishing gear, bait (bought or rented for this trip)………………
Fish processing, freezing, packing, or shipping fees…………..

$ __________
$ __________

Ice……………………………………………………………….

$ __________

Fishing derby entry fees………………………………………...
Boat fuel, lubricants, and repairs……………………………….

$ __________

$ __________

Moorage or launch fees for this trip……………………………

$ __________
$ __________

Gifts/souvenirs………………………………………………….

$ __________

Other: _______________________________________

$ __________

B11 How many people, including yourself, were the fishing-related expenses you paid in B10 for?
_____ Adults

_____ Children under 18
4

Your Most Recent Saltwater Fishing in Alaska
The questions in this section are only about the saltwater fishing you did on your most recent visit
to Alaska. As a reminder, a saltwater fishing trip is any trip that includes saltwater recreational
fishing. This includes travel to the location where you fished. Some people fish for more than one
day on fishing trips.

C1

Which of the following descriptions most closely describes the saltwater fishing you did on
your most recent visit to Alaska? Please check the box of the best answer.
 Avid fishing. You had planned to saltwater fish for most, or all, of your time in Alaska.
 Purposeful fishing. You had planned to saltwater fish in Alaska and made arrangements for
one or more days of fishing while in Alaska, but there were other activities important to you in
Alaska.
 Incidental fishing. You did not make specific plans to saltwater fish in Alaska, but did a day
or more of fishing while there as the opportunities arose. It was not a major reason for your
visit to Alaska.

C2

At which fishing locations did you saltwater fish during your visit to Alaska and how many
days did you fish at each location? Please check the box of the locations you fished at during
your Alaska visit and write in the number of days you fished. Count partial days as full days.

Fishing locations in
 Southeast Alaska (see Map A)

Number
of days
fished

Fishing locations in
 Southcentral Alaska (see Map B)

Number
of days
fished



Glacier Bay……………………..

_____



Anchor Point……………………..

_____



Haines or Skagway……………..

_____



Alaska Peninsula/Bristol Bay……

_____



Juneau or Auke Bay…………….

_____



Cordova………………………….

_____



Kake…………………………....

_____



Clam Gulch………………………

_____



Ketchikan…………………….…

_____



Deep Creek or Ninilchik…………

_____



Petersburg……………………....

_____



Homer……………………………

_____



Prince of Wales…………………

_____



Kenai (city)………………………

_____



Sitka…………………………….

_____



Kodiak Island…………………….

_____



Wrangell………………………...

_____



Seldovia………………………….

_____



Yakutat…………………………

_____



Seward…………………………...

_____



Other location in Southeast
Alaska:



Valdez……………………………

_____



Whittier…………………………..

_____



Other location in Southcentral
Alaska:

___________________________

_____

___________________________
5

_____

C3

C4

On this most recent visit to Alaska, how many total fishing days did you spend saltwater
fishing using a charter (or fishing lodge) service, on a private boat (yours, a friend’s, or one
you rented), or from shore? Please write the number of days you fished by charter boat, private
boat, and shore. If none, write “0”. Count partial days as full days.
Saltwater fishing by…
Number of Days
Fished
Charter (or fishing lodge) service…………………….
_______
Private boat (yours, a friend’s or one you rented)……

_______

Shore………………………………………………….

_______

For each saltwater species below, indicate whether you fished in saltwater for this species,
the total number of fish you caught (including any you released), and the number of fish you
caught and kept on this most recent Alaska saltwater fishing trip.
Fished for?

C5

Saltwater fish species



Halibut…………………………….



Total number of
fish caught
________

Number of fish
caught and kept
________

King salmon……………………….



________

________

Silver salmon………………………



________

________

Other salmon (red, pink, or chum)…



________

________

Lingcod…………………………….



________

________

Rockfish……………………………



________

________

About how much total time (in hours and minutes) did you personally have a fishing pole in
the water during this trip?
Hours ____________

Minutes _____________

6

C6

Which city, town, or area did you consider your home base (or starting point) for saltwater
fishing during your most recent Alaska visit? Please check one box.

 Locations in Southeast Alaska

 Locations in Southcentral Alaska



(see Map A)
Angoon (Admiralty Island)



(see Map B)
Anchorage and surrounding areas



Auke Bay



Anchor Point



Chichagof



Cordova



Craig (Prince of Wales Island)



Clam Gulch



Edna Bay (Prince of Wales Island)



Dillingham (Bristol Bay)



Elfin Cove (Chichagof Island)



Deep Creek or Ninilchik



Glacier Bay



Homer



Haines



Kenai (city)



Hoonah



King Cove (Alaska Peninsula)



Juneau



Kodiak (Kodiak Island)



Kake



Moose Pass



Ketchikan



Old Harbor (Kodiak Island)



Petersburg



Seldovia



Sitka



Seward



Skagway



Soldotna



Wrangell



Valdez



Yakutat



Whittier



Other location in Southeast Alaska:



Other location in Southcentral Alaska:

____________________________

C7

____________________________

On average, about how much time each day did you spend traveling (roundtrip) from your
home base to the location(s) where you boarded a boat or fished from shore? This is time
spent in travel by road or air to where you boarded a fishing boat or fished from shore—not the
time spent in a boat traveling to the fishing grounds.
Average roundtrip travel time per day: ____ hours

7

____ minutes

Your Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Trip Preferences
This section asks about your preferences for Alaska saltwater fishing trips. Even if you have not
saltwater fished in Alaska, your responses are needed to understand how people choose fishing
trips.

D1

In Alaska, do you prefer saltwater or freshwater fishing? Check one box.





D2

In which area of Alaska do you, or would you, prefer to saltwater fish? Check one box.






D3

I prefer saltwater fishing
I prefer freshwater fishing
I do not have a preference
I don’t know

Southeast Alaska – see Map A
Southcentral Alaska – see Map B
Other areas in Alaska – any area in Alaska not shown in Map A or Map B (e.g., Fairbanks)
I do not have a preference
I don’t know
Many things may influence the type of Alaska saltwater fishing trip you choose to take. How
important are each of the following to you? Mark the box of your response.
Not
important
at all

A little
important

Somewhat
important

Very
important

Extremely
important

Fishing area…………………………….........











Number of days fishing …………………….











Type of fish targeted.......................................











Daily bag or take limit: number of fish you
can keep……………………………………...

































Size limit: limits on the size of fish you can
keep (maximum or minimum size limits)….
Fishing trip cost..............................................

8









The next four questions ask you to choose which you like best between 3 things you can do while on
a visit to Alaska: two different types of Alaska saltwater charter boat fishing experiences (Choice A
and Choice B) or doing something else instead of Alaska saltwater charter boat fishing (Choice C).
Choice A and Choice B may differ from fishing experiences you have had, but we would still like to
know your opinions about them.
 In each question, assume the saltwater charter fishing experiences (Choice A and Choice B) are
identical except for the differences you see in the table.
 Some trips may have a maximum size limit on the halibut that can be caught and kept, or a
minimum size limit on the salmon that can be caught and kept. These are conservation measures
to help maintain healthy fish stocks.
 Remember that money you spend on Choice A or Choice B is money that could instead be spent
on other items and activities if you didn’t go saltwater charter fishing in Alaska.

D4

Choice A, Choice B, and Choice C are described in the columns below. Below the columns,
indicate which of these three choices you like best and which you like second best.
Choice A

Choice B

Fishing area…..…………………

Southcentral

Southeast

Number of fishing days………..

2 days

2 days

Fish targeted……………………

Halibut

Halibut

Bag (take) limit………………...

1 per day
(2 total)

3 per day
(6 total)

No size limit

1 fish any size;
2 fish no larger
than 20 lbs

King salmon

Silver salmon

2 per day
(4 total)

6 per day
(12 total)

No fish smaller
than 12 lbs

No size limit

$500

$500

Choice A

Choice B

Choice C

Which do you like best?
Check one box------>







Which do you like second best?
Check one box------>







Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Fish targeted……………………
Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Choice C

Do something
else in Alaska
other than
saltwater
charter boat
fishing

Cost per person………………….
(Fishing-related COSTS only)
Can include charter/rental fees,
transportation, food, and other costs

9

D5

Consider Choice A, Choice B, and Choice C in the columns below and indicate below the
columns which of these you like best and which you like second best.
Choice A

Choice B

Fishing area….…………………

Southcentral

Southcentral

Number of fishing days………..

1 day

1 day

Fish targeted……………………

Halibut

Halibut

2 per day
(2 total)

1 per day
(1 total)

No fish larger
than 20 lbs

No fish larger
than 22 lbs

No second fish
species

Silver salmon

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Fish targeted……………………

6 per day
(6 total)

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Choice C

Do something
else in Alaska
other than
saltwater
charter boat
fishing

No size limit

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Cost per person………………….
(Fishing-related COSTS only)

$300

$350

Choice A

Choice B

Choice C

Which do you like best?
Check one box------>







Which do you like second best?
Check one box------>







Can include charter/rental fees,
transportation, food, and other costs

10

D6

Again, consider the three options below and indicate which of them you like best and which
you like second best.
Choice A

Choice B

Fishing area….…………………

Southeast

Southeast

Number of fishing days………..

2 days

3 day

Fish targeted……………………

King salmon

Halibut

3 per day
(6 total)

1 per day
(3 total)

No size limit

No fish larger
than 20 lbs

No second fish
species

Silver salmon

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Fish targeted……………………

5 per day
(15 total)

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Choice C

Do something
else in Alaska
other than
saltwater
charter boat
fishing

No size limit

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Cost per person………………….
(Fishing-related COSTS only)

$600

$1,000

Choice A

Choice B

Choice C

Which do you like best?
Check one box------>







Which do you like second best?
Check one box------>







Can include charter/rental fees,
transportation, food, and other costs

11

D7

Consider Choice A, Choice B, and Choice C below and indicate which you like best and
which you like second best.
Choice A

Choice B

Fishing area….…………………

Southcentral

Southeast

Number of fishing days………..

4 days

1 day

Fish targeted……………………

Halibut

King salmon

1 per day
(4 total)

2 per day
(2 total)

No size limit

No fish smaller
than 10 lbs

No second fish
species

Silver salmon

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Fish targeted……………………

6 per day
(6 total)

Bag (take) limit………………...
Number of fish you can keep each
day (and in total)

Choice C

Do something
else in Alaska
other than
saltwater
charter boat
fishing

No size limit

Size limit…..…………………...
Restricts the size of fish you can keep
(length limits converted to pounds
using standard length-weight charts)

Cost per person………………….
(Fishing-related COSTS only)

$1,200

$450

Choice A

Choice B

Choice C

Which do you like best?
Check one box------>







Which do you like second best?
Check one box------>







Can include charter/rental fees,
transportation, food, and other costs

D8

How confident are you in your answers in D4, D5, D6, and D7? Check the best answer.
Not at all
confident

Slightly
confident

Somewhat
confident

Very
confident

Extremely
confident











12

About You and Your Household
This information helps us understand how your fishing experiences compare to those of other
anglers. Your responses will be kept confidential.
 Male

 Female

E1

Are you male or female?

E2

In what year were you born?

E3

How many years of fishing experience do you have fishing for any species anywhere?

19_____

_____ years

E4

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

E5

Over 60

____ Part-time worker

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

E7

36 to 60

How many people, including yourself, do you live with who work outside the home?
If none for a category, please write “0”.
____ Full-time worker

E6

18 to 35

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.)

Are you Hispanic or Latino? Check the box of the best answer.
 Yes
 No

E8

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

E9

 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
 White

What was your household income (before taxes) in 2011? Check one box.







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
13

To better understand your opportunities for sport fishing, please answer these questions.

E10 Which one of the following best describes your employment status? Check the box of the best
answer.










Salaried worker
Wage worker
Self-employed
Student
Homemaker  SKIP TO NEXT PAGE
Retired  SKIP TO NEXT PAGE
Currently unemployed  SKIP TO NEXT PAGE
Disabled and unable to work  SKIP TO NEXT PAGE
Other (please specify) ___________________________

E11 In a typical week, about how many hours do you work? If you do not work for pay or profit,
write “0” and skip to next page.
____ Hours per week

E12 Approximately what is your hourly wage rate? Check one box.










Under $5.00 per hour
$5.00 to $9.99
$10.00 to $14.99
$15.00 to $19.99
$20.00 to $29.99
$30.00 to $39.99
$40.00 to $49.99
$50.00 to $59.99
$60 or more per hour

E13 Would you prefer to work more hours or fewer hours per week at your current hourly wage
rate? You’d have less income if you worked less, and more income if you worked more.
 I would prefer to work more hours per week at my current hourly wage rate
 I would prefer to work fewer hours per week at my current hourly wage rate
 Neither. I am happy with the number of hours I currently work.

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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!
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. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any
other suggestions for reducing this burden to Dan Lew, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, [email protected]. All responses will be handled
as confidential in accordance with Section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1996 and NOAA Administrative
Order 216-100, Protection of Confidential Fishery Statistics. 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.

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