This survey collected data to provide a current perspective on the for-hire fishing sectors of Florida (east coast), Georgia, South and North Carolina. One important segment of sportfishing demand is the recreational for-hire fleet, commonly called charter and head boats. A 13-page survey with 62 questions was developed to collect information on for-hire operators background and characteristics, boat description, species information, operating policies, boat operation, business operation characteristics, community ties, and opinions concerning current fisheries regulations. Letters, phone calls and intercepts at marinas were used to contact operators to explain the intent of the survey and encourage participation. Charter and head boat operators were surveyed at their home marina by trained interviewers. Respondents were asked to complete the survey with responses based on the 2009 calendar year.

This survey provides economic data related to marine recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The data collected include preference and opinion information necessary to accurately measure the economic effects of regulation changes on the recreational fishing community. The mail survey design was stratified to cover three sampling frames: 1) the MRIP saltwater angler registry for private boat anglers 2) the LA for-hire angler license frame for these anglers and 3) volunteers intercepted by MRIP for for-hire anglers outside of LA. A stated preference choice experiment allows for the calculation of willingness to pay related to four important species.

To collect data on an angler's last trip for revealed preference models and economic valuation purposes. Typically done as an add-on to the MRIP intercept survey and done as needed, periodically

To collect data on an angler's last trip for revealed preference models and economic valuation purposes. Typically done as an add-on to the MRIP intercept survey and done as needed, periodically

Revealed preference models provide insights into recreational angler behavior and the economic value of recreational fishing trips. This data is for the Southeast and is collected as needed, at irregular intervals. Typically collected as an economic add-on to the MRIP intercept survey and follow up phone or mail survey.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Social Sciences Branch (SSB) conducted a survey of vessel owners participating in commercial fisheries in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. The survey was mailed to approximately 1,400 vessel owners holding federal fishing permits in New England and the Mid-Atlantic on September 13, 2013. As of January 13, 2014, 157 surveys were returned (138 by mail and 19 online).

Revealed preference models provide insights into recreational angler behavior and the economic value of recreational fishing trips. This data is for the Northeast and is collected as needed, at irregular intervals. Typically collected as an economic add-on to the MRIP intercept survey and follow up phone or mail survey.

Stated preference choice experiment data were collected in conjunction with NMFS’ Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) along the coastal states of Maine through North Carolina during calendar year 2010. All anglers intercepted in the Northeast for the MRFSS were asked to participate in a voluntary follow-up mail survey. All anglers that agreed to participate in the follow-up were sent mail questionnaires using a modified Dillman Tailored Design. Anglers were given the option of completing the survey by mail or online. The choice experiment survey asked anglers that have targeted summer flounder, scup, or black sea bass to simultaneously compare features of different hypothetical fishing trips and then to choose the trip they liked best. The features or attributes varied across trips and included bag and size limits of each species, the number of legal-sized fish caught of each species, the number of sub-legal sized fish caught of each species, the number of other types of fish that were legally kept, and the total trip cost. Respondents were also permitted to choose an opt-out option which was “Do something other than saltwater fishing.” The collection of choice responses from the various choice scenarios allows for the examination of tradeoffs and behavioral responses to various biological and regulatory changes. A total of 10,244 surveys were mailed out and 3,067 completed mail surveys were returned for a response rate of 30%.

This chapter examines the methodological challenges associated with collecting economic data from the for-hire fishing sector. A cost and earnings survey of charter boat operators in the Southeast United States serves as a case study. In the case study, a telephone survey was used to collect information about individual trips and a mail survey was used to collect complementary data about annual expenses. The results of the case study are used in the discussion of economic data requirements and survey methodology most applicable to the charter boat industry. Recommendations are provided for improving the design of surveys to collect economic data from the for-hire sector.

A series of expenditure surveys have been done both regionally and nationally. This data pertains to the West coast states . Expenditures on trips by mode (for-hire, private boat, and shore) were collected for both residents and non-residents of each state, and annual expenditures on durable goods were collected by resident status. Expenditures were collected both as an add-on to the intercept, and a followup phone survey with those who completed the intercept and a separate random sample of households.