Data Collections to Support Comprehensive Economic and Socio-Economic Evaluations of the Fisheries in Regions of the United States Affected by Catastrophic Events

In 2017, three major hurricanes made landfall in three weeks affecting U.S. Southeast and Gulf states and Caribbean territories. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused widespread damage, significantly impacting the fishing industries in these places. The NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology’s, Economics and Social Analysis Division seeks to conduct as-needed assessments of the immediate and long-term social and economic impacts from 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. The surveys will collect data on commercial and recreational for-hire fishermen, bait and tackle stores, seafood dealers, marinas/boat repair/marine supply businesses, and seafood processing and aquaculture facilities. The post-impact rapid assessment is intended to identify short-term economic and socio-economic impacts for use in MSA Section 315 mandated assessments that are due to the Secretary of Commerce within sixty days of a catastrophic regional fishery disaster declaration. The rapid assessment will be followed by a one-year assessment intended to identify long-term impacts and impediments to recovery. These data collections provide essential information on the current conditions of the fishing industries in affected states that can be used both to improve future responses to disasters and in fishery management actions in the United States. They also provide a timely baseline of information to distinguish between the effects of storms and the effects of management regulations, thus improving the usefulness of subsequent fisheries social impact assessments. This information will increase the agency's knowledge of the compounding effects of natural disasters and changes in fisheries regulations in order to improve fisheries management.

The latest form for Data Collections to Support Comprehensive Economic and Socio-Economic Evaluations of the Fisheries in Regions of the United States Affected by Catastrophic Events expires 2021-08-31 and can be found here.