Social capital survey of Northeast Groundfish Sector Par

Social Capital Survey of Northeast Groundfish Sector Participants

LEAD STATEMENT

We are conducting a voluntary survey of groundfish permit holders in the Northeast on behalf of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service. The goal of this survey is to understand the communities and social relationships within the groundfish industry as they are currently and how they affect the outcomes in the fishery and the success or failure of the fishery management system.

Could you answer a few questions for me?

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS IMPORTANT. This is not a sales or promotional survey. We are conducting this survey on behalf of the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center to help evaluate how changes in management of the groundfish fishery may affect the fishery and the individuals and communities involved in it. Your input is a critical part of this process.

The survey should only take about 18 minutes of your time, but the answers you give will provide us with critical information that will help us to understand the importance of social relationships and communities in making the groundfish fishery work effectively for those involved in it.

I want to assure you that your responses will be kept confidential, as authorized by Section 402(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and under NOAA Administrative Order (AO) 216-100, Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics. Your name will not be released and only aggregated results of the survey will be made public. For more information about the survey call Patricia Pinto da Silva at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center at 508 495 2370.

The information collection is designed in accordance with NOAA Information Quality Guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to MSA 402(b).

Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected 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.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the 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 suggestions for reducing this burden to Patricia Pinto da Silva, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, [email protected].

General Information

1. How long have you been involved in fishing?

2. How did you get started and what positions have you worked on boats?

3. What year did you first captain?

4. What year did you first buy a vessel?

5. Do you captain your vessel(s) now?

6. How many immediate family members also work in the New England groundfish industry, either on your vessel or on another vessel? ______

7. How many extended family members also work in the New England groundfish industry on your vessel or on an another vessel? _____

8. What languages are spoken in your home? Italian, Portuguese, English, Spanish, other

9. Besides your family, how many close friends are also commercial groundfish fishermen? ___________________#

10. How many generations of commercial fishermen does your family represent? ______

11. Do you consider yourself part of a fishing community?

Yes___ (go to 16) No___

12. How would you define the fishing community you feel most a part of? (check all that apply)

___ the town you tie up your vessel in

___ the geographic region where you mostly land fish

___ the town you and your family reside in

___ the harbor town closest to where you and your family reside (not necessarily where you tie up your vessel)

_____the fishermen who fish in the same area you fish

____ fishermen who belong to the same industry association as you

_Other__________________________________________________________________

13. How important is this fishing community to you?

Very important [ ] 1 Important [ ] 2 somewhat important [ ] 3 Not important [ ] 4

14. What town do you live in? ________________

Now, we’d like to ask some questions about how you interact with other fishermen.

15. Generally speaking, how many of the groundfish fishermen you know in the fishing community you described earlier do you trust (for example to maintain a confidence or keep a bargain or return a favor)?

Most [ ] 1 Many [ ] 2 Few [ ] 3 None [ ] 4

16. How many of the groundfish fishermen you know outside that community do you trust?

Most [ ] 1 Many [ ] 2 Few [ ] 3 None [ ] 4

17. Would you say that the fishermen you know and trust the most are the ones that fish in the same fishing community as you (as you defined the community earlier)? Yes/No

18. Do you agree that fishermen in the community you described earlier would generally trust one another in matters of lending and borrowing?

Strongly agree [ ] 1 Agree [ ] 2 Disagree [ ] 3 Strongly disagree [ ] 4 Don’t Know [ ]

19. Have you ever gone into business with another fisherman? Yes / No

19b. How would you rate that experience?

very positive [ ] mostly positive [ ] not positive [ ]

20. Do you agree or disagree that most fishermen would look out for the welfare of those whom they consider to be of similar ethnic or cultural backgrounds ahead of those who are not?

Strongly agree [ ] 1 Agree [ ] 2 Disagree [ ] 3 Strongly disagree [ ] 4 Don’t Know [ ]

21. Overall, how important to you and your family are social or religious organizations such as a church, social clubs or sports teams you play on?

Very important [ ] 1 Important [ ] 2 somewhat important [ ] 3 Not important [ ] 4 Don’t Know [

22. What commercial fishing organizations do you belong to?

Check list (open ended question)

a___________________________________

b___________________________________

c___________________________________

d___________________________________

e___________________________________

23. Which one of these organizations is most important to you? _______________________

Answer the following three questions relative to the fishing organization that is most important to you.

24. Which of the following activities describe your participation in the fishing organizations you belong to (check all that apply)?

____Pay membership duties

____attend meetings

____serve on committees

____hold or held a leadership position

Now, I’d like to ask a few questions about your level of public participation relative to fisheries management.

25. How often in the past year have you attended a fisheries management council meeting or other public meeting about fisheries management?

Frequently [ ] 1 A couple of times [ ] 2 Once [ ] 3 Never [ ] 4

26. How often in the past year have you joined together with others in your community to participate in a public meeting, rally or protest to publicly address other issues relevant to fisheries management or to your community’s well being?

Frequently [ ] 1 A couple of times [ ] 2 Once [ ] 3 Never [ ] 4

27. Have you ever participated in a cooperative research project as a primary partner where you helped to develop the initial research question, and were paid charter vessel rates?

Yes __ No___

28. Have you ever participated in a cooperative research project in a more minor way, like returning a fish tag, attending a meeting, providing log book data, etc. (this is a project where you did not help to develop the initial research question, and you did not receive much, if any, compensation).

Yes __ No___

Now we’d like to ask about how you get and use information in your fishing business.

29. Do you have a network of friends that are other captains or owners on whom you rely to share useful information about fishing?

Yes [ ]1 No [ ] 2 Don’t Know [ ] 3

30. How many people are in the network?

31. How often do you share useful information about fishing with this network of friends (other captains and owners)?

Not Often____ Sometimes____ A lot_____

32. In general, how important is information you get from other fishermen to your fishing success?

Very important [ ] 1 Important [ ] 2 somewhat important [ ] 3 Not important [ ] 4 Don’t Know [ ]

33. Suppose you needed to ask another fisherman in your community (as you defined it earlier) for help with a business related matter. How comfortable would you feel about doing this?

Very uncomfortable____ A little uncomfortable____ Somewhat Comfortable____

Very Comfortable____

34. In general, how often do use the internet for purposes relevant to your fishing business?

Never____ Not Often____ Sometimes____ A lot_____

Next, we’d like to ask general questions about your fishing business and about fisheries management. If you are involved in more than one fishery, when answering these question answer relevant to the groundfish fishery only.

35. Are you enrolled in a groundfish sector for the 2012-2013 fishing season?

Yes [ ] 1 (go to 47) No [ ] 2 (go to 48)

36. If no, why not: checklist and open ended responses ·

___Not invited to join a sector·

___Not aware of the option to join a sector in time·

___Prefer working alone·

___I don’t trust others actions – (joint liability of sector members)·

__I will be more profitable in the common pool·

__The regulations are easier to understand and operate under·

__I have greater control over my fishing.·

__Other________

37. Why did you join a sector (check all that apply) ·

__I was recruited to join a sector·

__ I prefer working with other fishermen·

_I will be more profitable in a sector·

__The regulations are easier to understand and operate under.·

_I have greater control over my fishing ·

__Most other fishermen that I know have enrolled and I didn’t want to be left out·

__Other____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

38. What is the name of the sector you are enrolled in? __________________________

39. How involved were you in the formation of your sector

Very involved____ Somewhat involved____ Not Involved____

40. How well do you feel you understand your sector’s operations plan?

Very well____ Somewhat____ Not well____

41. What percentage of your sector’s members do you know very well?

______%

42. What percentage of your sector’s members do you not know at all?

______%

43. Do your family members interact socially with family members of other members of your sector (for example your kids go to school together or you families attend the same church)? ___Yes ___No

Groups and Networks

44. Including yourself, how many family members are also permit owners in your sector (immediate and extended family)? _________

45. Besides your family, how many close friends are also permit holders in your sector? ____#

46. What percentage of your sector’s members are part of your fishing community that you defined earlier ? ___________percentage

47. In general, do you agree or disagree that members of your sector come from diverse backgrounds (prompt: are different economically, ethnically, and speak different languages)?

Strongly agree [ ] 1 Agree [ ] 2 Disagree [ ] 3 Strongly disagree [ ] 4 Don’t Know [ ]

48. Is there a member(s) of your sector who you feel is a well recognized fishing leader in the fishing community (as you define it earlier) or in the region?

Yes [ ] 1 No [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

49. Do you think that your sector members work well together?

Yes [ ] 1 No [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

50. Do you expect that most of your sector’s members will stay in the sector for several more years?

Yes [ ] 1 No [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

Trust

51. Suppose your sector manager informed the group that the sector’s ACE (quota) was running low for a particular stock, and that the group should avoid the stock until more ACE (quota) was purchased. Do you trust that most or all of the members of your sector would make an effort to stay off the stock?

Do Trust [ ] 1 Do Not Trust [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

52. If you sector plans to allocate ACE (quota) to individuals in the sector or set catch limits for individuals, do you trust that the other members of your sector will make their best effort to avoid intentionally or carelessly exceeding their ACE or catch limits?

Do Trust [ ] 1 Do Not Trust [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

53. How concerned are you that not all members of your sector will abide by all the sector specific rules outlined in your contracts?

Not concerned [ ] 1 Somewhat concerned [ ] 2 Very concerned [ ] 3

54. Do you trust that the board of governors or directors for your sector will make decisions that are in the best interest of the whole sector?

Do Trust [ ] 1 Do Not Trust [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

55. Do you trust the sector will have a fair system set up to deal with violations of sector rules?

Do Trust [ ] 1 Do Not Trust [ ] 2 I don’t Know [ ] 3

56. How much do you expect to depend on personal communication with other members of your sector for information about sector meetings, fish and quota prices, other announcements from you sector manager, or for other important sector business?

Very Often [ ] 1 Often [ ] 2 Sometimes [ ] 3 Not at all [ ] 4

57. Do you agree or disagree that your sector has an important role in preserving the fishing community you are a member of?

Strongly agree [ ] 1 Agree [ ] 2 Disagree [ ] 3 Strongly disagree [ ] 4 Don’t Know [ ]

58. Would you say that if you were to run out of your individual allocation for one

of your fish stocks most other members of you sector would be willing to sell

you some of their quota at a fair price or trade you for quota of another

stock if they had some available? Would you do the same for them?

59. Would you say that if another member of your sector ran out of his individual

allocation for one of his fish stocks and you had quota for that stock you

would generally be willing to sell some of your quota to him at a fair price

or trade for quota of another species? Do you