For-hire survey

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3 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 Ana Valentin, NOAA Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910.

This is a voluntary survey, and responses are kept confidential as required by section 402(b) of 

the Magnuson- Stevens Act and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Confidentiality of 

Fisheries Statistics, and will not be released for public use except in aggregate statistical form 

without identification as to its source. 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.   

Hello, I’m calling on behalf of NOAA Fisheries Services and the For-Hire Survey. Can I please speak to name of contact? If person sought is not available, ask if they will be available anytime this week. If yes, scheduled convenient time to call back to talk to that person, thank respondent, and terminate interview. If no, thank respondent and terminate interview.

Are you still the captain, owner or designated representative of the [vessel name]?

If “yes”, ask: Can you provide information on the activity of the [vessel name] during the last week (Monday through Sunday)?

If “yes”, continue to survey description.

If “no”, ask: Is someone else currently operating the [vessel name]?

If “yes”, then ask: Do you know the name and telephone number of new contact?

If “yes”, take name and telephone number, thank respondent and terminate interview.

If “no”, denote whatever information is given and terminate interview.

The [vessel name] has been selected at random from a directory of charter- and head-boat to be included in this week’s survey of trips. This data will remain confidential, and this survey is being conducted in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, therefore your participation is voluntary. (Continue with interview)

INTRO TWO: (for previously interviewed vessel reps)

Hello this is [interviewer name] calling on behalf of NOAA Fisheries for the For-Hire Survey. May I speak with [contact name]?

Alternate survey description for re-contacts:

The [vessel name] has been selected for this week’s sample and I am calling to collect your effort information for this time period. As you know, this data will remain confidential, and this survey is being conducted in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, therefore your participation is voluntary.

(Continue with interview.)

Q1 During the last week (Monday through Sunday), how many saltwater fishing trips targeting finfish did the [vessel name] take?

Record –

If Q3=0, go to Q41.

Q2 How many of these trips were with paying passengers?

Record –

Q3 How many of these trips consisted of more than one day of fishing?

Record –

Q4 During the last week (Monday through Sunday), how many additional non-fishing trips did your boat make? Please include any trips taken for fuel, bait, or other recreational activities.

Record – If Q7>0, go to 7A.

If Q7=0, go to Q8.

Q4A On what days did each of these additional boat trips occur?

Record –

Now that we have information on the total number of trips taken, we would like to obtain specific information about each of these trips. We will begin with the most recent recreational fishing trip and work backwards to last Monday. You reported ____ total trip.

Q5 Did your boat take any saltwater fishing trips that ended on day of week (starting with Sunday)? If “yes”, obtain the total number of trips that day. Repeat this and the following questions for each day of the week. If more than one trip is made in one day, profile each trip separately for that day.

1=Monday

2=Tuesday

3=Wednesday

4=Thursday

5=Friday

6=Saturday

7=Sunday

Q6 How many separate fishing trips did you take on [trip_date]?

Record –

Q6A Was this trip with paying passengers?

Yes –

No –

Q7 We are only interested in collecting information about passengers who actively fished by having a line in the water. Excluding captain and crew, how many people actually fished during the trip? (Record number of people on trip)

Record –

Q8 Did this trip return to a [State where vessel was sampled] marina, dock, or launch ramp?

Yes – Go to Q13

No – Go to Q12A

Q8A To what state did your boat return from this trip?

Record –

Q9 To what county did this trip return? (Record FIPS code for county of trip. See FIPS codes in Intercept Survey Training Manual)

Record –

Q10 Did this trip return to a marina, dock, or launch ramp to which the public normally has access? If so, to what particular marina, dock, or launch ramp did this trip return? (Record MRFSS 4-digit site code)

7777=private access site

8888=unknown public access site

9999=refused site information

Q11 At what time (to the nearest half-hour) did your boat leave the dock for that trip? (Record return time as military time)

Record –

Q12 At what time (to the nearest half-hour) did your boat return from that trip? (Record return time as military time)

Record –

Q13 To the nearest half-hour, how much time was spent actively fishing with gear in the water? (Record vessel fishing hours. If vessel fishing hours exceed 24 hours record “yes” for multi-day trip and split into individual day trips on consecutive days with equal fishing hours)

Record –

Q14 What fishing method or methods (read all options) were used on that trip? (Record as many options as offered)

1=trolling

2=bottom fishing

3=casting

4=fly-fishing

5=drifting

6=chunking

7=chumming

8=other

97=don’t know

99=refused

Q15 Was most of your fishing effort on that trip in the ocean, a gulf, a river, a sound, an inlet, or a bay?

1= ocean – Go to Q 19A

2= sound – Go to Q20

3= river – Go to Q20

4= bay – Go to Q20

5= inlet or other non-ocean water body – Go to Q20

Q15A Was most of your fishing less than or greater than three miles from shore?

1=less than 3 miles

2=greater than 3 miles

Q16 Did this trip cover more than one day of fishing?

Yes – Go to Q20A

No – Go to Q21

Q16A How many days of fishing occurred on this trip?

Record –

Q17 What species were targeted on that trip? That is, when you left the dock, what species were you planning on fishing for? (Record 10-digit NMFS codes for up to two species or species groups; refer to state or regional short list of species and species groups)

[26] Other Species

[98] Don’t know/Don’t remember

[99] Refused

IF Target = LPS and is not bluefin, shark, billfish or tuna, go to Q22.

IF Target NE LPS Go to next trip.

FOLLOW-UP

Q18 Did you receive notification from us that we would contact you for this interview? If “no”, ask for correct mailing address and briefly explain that notification will be sent prior to any later contacts and continue.

Yes – Go to Q42

No – Record correct address. Go to Q42

Don’t know – Go to Q43

Refused – Go to Q43

Q19 If Q41 is “yes”, then ask: Did you choose to use the optional form included with the mailing to record data for the vessel name? (Record form use)

Yes –

No –

Q20 In case the vessel name is ever selected again for this survey, at what time of day would you prefer to be called? (Record preferred time as military time)

Those are all of the questions that I have for you, thank you for your time and cooperation. Have a good day/evening. Goodbye.