Long-term Business Survey

Long-Term Assessment: Fishing-Related Businesses

OMB Control No. 0648-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Office of Science & Technology

NOAA Fisheries

Silver Spring, MD

ASSESSMENT OF THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HURRICANES AND OTHER CLIMATE-RELATED NATURAL DISASTERS ON COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING INDUSTRIES IN THE EASTERN, GULF COAST, AND CARIBBEAN TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES

We want to learn how you were affected by [____name of storm____] in the year following the storm. Your responses and participation in this survey are ANONYMOUS.

Questions about the survey? Phone: 401-782-3253/Fax: 401-782-3201/Email: [email protected]

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 Lisa L. Colburn, 28 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882. Email: [email protected]

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.

INTRODUCTION:

FISHING-RELATED BUSINESS SURVEY

Hello. My name is ________. I'm calling on behalf of NOAA Fisheries.

We want to learn about how you were affected by [___name of storm____]. We would like to ask you a few questions regarding the impacts of [___name of storm____] on your fishing business. We are talking to both businesses that were affected by [___name of storm____] as well as those who were not. It should only take about 15-20 minutes. The survey will be even shorter since you were not affected.

Your participation in this study is voluntary. (If you agree to participate now, it is okay to change your mind later.) You do not have to answer any question you do not want to, and all of your answers will remain anonymous.

A. First, is this a fishing-related business but NOT a commercial or recreational (party/charter) fishing business?

1. Yes (CONTINUE WITH INTERVIEW)

2. No (END OF SURVEY)

SECTION A:

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. What type of firm is this? I am going to read a list of fisheries businesses services to you. If your business provides this service, please say “yes”. If more than one business service is identified, what is your primary service? (or did you have before [___name of storm____])? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

1.Seafood dealer_______

2. Seafood processor______

3. Seafood retailer/restaurant_________

4. Marina______

5. Marine supply______

6. Bait and tackle store _______

7. Other (SPECIFY):

2. What community is your business located in? __________________________

3. What is your position in the business? ______________________________________________________

4. What is your age? years

5. How many years have you been involved in this business? years

SECTION B:

IMPACTS FROM [___Name of storm___] ON YOUR BUSINESS

This section will cover four types of impacts to your business: operating status, employees, physical damages and revenue losses, and relocation and individual recovery.

OPERATING STATUS:

6. Was your business closed due to [_____name of storm_____]?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP to Q8)

7. How long was the business closed (SELECT ONE OPTION)?

1. Answered in days _______

2. Answered in weeks________

3. Answered in months_________

4. Never

8. Was the normal business schedule (hours) affected by [_____name of storm______]?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP to Q11)

9. Has the business returned to a normal schedule since the storm?

1. Yes (SKIP to Q11)

2. No (CONTINUE)

3. Not applicable

10. How long did it take for it to return to a normal schedule (SELECT ONE OPTION)?

1. Answered in days _______

2. Answered in weeks________

3. Answered in months_________

4. Never

11. On a scale of 0% to 100%, at what level is your business operating at now? _________%

EMPLOYEES:

12. On average, how many people were employed annually before [_____name of storm_____]:

13. On average, how many people were employed annually after [_____name of storm_____]:

14. (IF Q12 AND Q13 ARE DIFFERENT): Has the number of employees gone back to what it was before the storm?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP TO Q16)

15. How long did it take for it to go back to what it was before the storm? (SELECT ONE OPTION)

1. Answered in days _______

2. Answered in weeks_______

3. Answered in months_______

4. Never_______

PHYSICAL DAMAGES AND REVENUE LOSSES:

16. Did this business experience physical damages or losses due to [_____name of storm_____]?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP TO Q20)

17. Please provide an estimate of the damages. This estimate can be based on an appraisal or on your best estimate of the cost to repair the damage.

1. $______________

2. DO NOT KNOW

18. Is the damage insured?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP to Q20)

3. DO NOT KNOW

19. Please provide or estimate the amount covered by insurance, i.e., the amount paid by insurance or expected to be paid by insurance.

1. $___________

2. DO NOT KNOW

20. Was your revenue affected by [_____name of storm_____] during the 12 months following the storm?

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP TO Q24)

21. How was your revenue affected by [_____name of storm_____] compared to pre-storm levels?

Increased by __________% or Decreased by__________% or Not affected___________

22. Please tell me which of the following describe how your revenue was affected? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Business was or is down _______

2. Closed early for the season _______

3. No fish _______

4. Physical damages _______

5. Anything else? (SPECIFY)

23. What is your estimate of the value of lost revenue for the 12 months following [_____name of storm_____]? $________________

RELOCATION AND INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY:

24. Did you relocate your business operation due to [_____name of storm_____]?

1. Yes (SKP TO Q26)

2. No (CONTINUE)

25. Do you plan to relocate your business due to [_____name of storm_____]?

1. Yes

2. No

26. Did any of these things get in the way of your recovery? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

1. Building permits ___________

2. Zoning, ordinances, etc. __________

3. Time to get assistance _________

4. Lack of personal financial resources ________

5. Other (SPECIFY)

6. None _________

27. Which, if any, federal and/or state agencies did you interact with after [_____name of storm_____]?

1. FEMA

2. SBA

3. Other________________________________________________________________

4. None (SKIP TO Q30)

28. Were the agencies well-coordinated?

1. Yes

2. No

29. Do you have any suggestions for improving services?

1. Yes, please explain________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

2. No

30. If you were affected by [_____name of storm_____], did any of these contribute to your recovery? (CHECK ALL THAT APPY). Which was the most important factor to your recovery? (CHECK ONLY ONE)

Factors that contributed to recovery	Check All that Apply	Most Important (CHECK ONLY ONE)
Family and/or friends
Church and/or community groups
Employees
FEMA
SBA
Unemployment benefits
Bank loan
Personal finances and labor
Other:

31. Would you say that [_____name of storm_____] had any positive impacts on your business?

1. Yes

2. No (SKIP TO Q33)

32. If yes, what?

SECTION C:

COMMUNITY RECOVERY FOLLOWING (___Name of storm___)

This section helps us understand how communities may have been affected as well as perceptions of potential changes to the communities in the future.

33. Since [_____name of storm_____], have there been any major changes to the community where your business is located? That would be changes such as zoning, ordinances, redevelopment, and things like that.

1. Yes (CONTINUE)

2. No (SKIP TO Q35)

34. What changes have you noticed?

35. Has the community where your business is located become more or less resilient to coastal hazards due to the storm?

1. More resilient ________

2. Less resilient _________

3. No change (SKIP to Q37) ______

36. What has contributed to that change? __________________________________________________

SECTION D:

WELL-BEING

This section is intended to capture the ability of the participant to be prepared for and cope with change in general and in relation to natural disasters.

37. Now I’m going to read a list of statements. For each statement, I’d like you to tell me whether you strongly disagree, disagree, are neutral, agree, or strongly agree with it.

Statements
	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree
I have other options available if I decide to no longer be in my current occupation.	1	2	3	4	5
I am confident that I could get work elsewhere if I needed to.	1	2	3	4	5
I would be nervous trying something outside of my current occupation.	1	2	3	4	5
I have planned for my financial security.	1	2	3	4	5
Every time there is a change I plan a way to make it work for myself.	1	2	3	4	5
I am more likely to adapt to change compared to others in this business.	1	2	3	4	5
I do not think I am competitive enough to continue in this business much longer.	1	2	3	4	5
I am confident things will turn out well for me.	1	2	3	4	5
If there are any more natural disasters on the scale of [_____name of storm_____] I will not be able to continue in this business much longer.	1	2	3	4	5
I can cope with impacts to my business due to natural disasters such as [_____name of storm_____].	1	2	3	4	5
I am interested in learning new skills outside my current occupation.	1	2	3	4	5

38. Would you say you learned anything from [_____name of storm_____] that will help you prepare for future natural disasters?

1. Yes

2. No

3. DO NOT KNOW

39. What different measures, if any, will you take in the future to prepare for natural disasters such as [_____name of storm_____]? (SPECIFY)

SECTION E:

COMMENTS

Do you have any additional comments you would like to share?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

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