The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted a survey of fisheries stakeholders on the Gulf and East Coasts of the United States seeking their views on ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) of fisheries resources. The survey asked a series of attitude and opinion questions along with general environmental literacy and demographic questions to a sample of 7,850 fisheries stakeholders, stratified by region. Results indicate that respondents’ knowledge of the status of fisheries resources is qualitatively similar to NMFS ratings, though generally respondents were less than satisfied with current fisheries management. Results also suggest that, despite concerns over several specific measures, respondents generally see potential in an EBFM approach to management.

A survey was conducted and implemented in Hawaii in 2010 to investigate consumer perceptions and preferences including consumer awareness concerning production methods (farm-raised vs. wild-caught), seafood labeling, and environmental issues. The survey also addresses food safety and nutrition, cultural traditions, consumption patterns, and taste and product form preferences. The data was collected through surveys online, at Times Supermarket locations and farmers' markets. 523 responses were collected: 183 online and 340 in-person. A conjoint analysis estimated willingness to pay across four different fish species, tuna, salmon, tilapia and moi (Pacific threadfin). This data can be used to determine species-specific attributes that affect consumers' willingness to pay and purchasing decisions.

This research employs a stated preference choice experiment survey of households in California, Oregon, and Washington to quantify public preferences and simulate a suite of different marine protected areas (MPA) designs and their associated values. The research pertains specifically to MPAs in U.S. federal waters (waters 3 to 200 miles from shore) off the coasts of California, Washington, and Oregon West Coast, hereafter referred to as west coast federal waters.

This project collects economic data from vessel owners participating in the West Coast limited entry fixed gear, and open access groundfish, salmon, crab, and shrimp fisheries. The data is needed for a variety of applications, such as the Northwest Fisheries Science Center's regional economic model (Input-Output Model for Pacific Coast Fisheries) as well as estimating the profitability of fishery participants for applications such as the Pacific Fisheries Management Council's Groundfish harvest specifications process. Major stages of the project include developing a survey questionnaire, developing a contact list of all fishery participants with available contact information (name, address, phone number), obtaining approval for the survey from the Office of Management and Budget through the Paperwork Reduction Act process, hiring a contractor to field the survey, training contractor personnel on how to field the survey, supervising survey fielding by the contractor, and working with the contractor to obtain an electronic data set containing survey results.

Economic data collected for years 1998, 2001, 2004, and 2005 and onward for the BSAI Crab Economic Data Report (EDR). Reporting is required of any owner or leaseholder of a vessel or processing plant, or a holder of a registered crab receiver permit, that harvested, processed, custom processed, or obtained custom processing for rationalized crab in specified Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab fisheries during the prior calendar year.

This survey gathered and analyze economic data from seafood processors throughout the states in the Gulf region. The survey sought to collect financial variables related to the firms market value, indebtedness, sales revenues, and selected itemized expenditures, plus procurement and distribution information. The basic unit of analysis was a seafood processing firm that performed some level of packaging, product modification, and other transformative process beyond harvesting seafood or acting as a first receiver in the seafood value chain. The population of seafood processing firms included all firms participating in the NMFSs annual survey of seafood processors for the baseline study year of 2009, a year specifically selected as a period that might serve as a representative year for business performance purposes. The survey was conducted in-person on location.

The purpose of this project was to collect data to understand the publics preferences for protecting the Cook Inlet beluga whale (CIBW), a distinct population segment (stock) of beluga whale that resides solely in the Cook Inlet, Alaska. The survey was administered during the summer and fall of 2013. The data underwent quality control and evaluation during 2013 and 2014 and are in the process of being analyzed.

The purpose of this project is to develop spatially discrete end-to-end models of the California Current LME, linking oceanography, biogeochemistry, food web interactions, habitat, fisheries, economics, monitoring, and management into a common model framework. This framework allows for thought experiments, including evaluation of alternate management strategies, identifying robust indicators, and assessing relative importance of different ecosystem drivers in regulating important processes. NMFS personnel are conducting this work in broad collaboration with other NOAA scientists, academics, and NGOs. The specific work entails model development, scoping issues with stakeholders and policy makers, running scenarios, and analyzing and writing up the results. Products will include peer-reviewed papers, presentations, and workshops with modelers and/or stakeholders. Management audiences include NMFS west coast regions and the PFMC. The project is an on-going, stand-alone project with no firm deadline for completion. West coast fish, mammal, bird diets. Available online as Dufault et al. 2009 NOAA Tech Memo NWFSC-103, with full xls format appendices. https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/scipubs/displayinclude.cfm?incfile=technicalmemorandum2009.inc.

The data set contains information on retail market spot check audit purchases of tuna in airtight containers. Data are available from May 2001 to present with new data appended annually. Information includes the date, location, product type, store information where random spot check purchases were made throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Information on purchased product allows the manufacturer, distributor or importer to track the tuna back to harvest and verify the dolphin-safe status of the tuna product.