A federal fisheries survey is in the works for 2015 to improve data on the contributions of commercial fishing and seafood processing to the economy of Southwest Alaska.

Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle plan to conduct the processor and support industry sector portion of the survey from early-to-mid 2015, and selected harvesters in mid-to-late 2015, NOAA Fisheries announced in mid-September.

Participation is voluntary and the survey should take no more than 45 minutes to complete. Data contributed by survey respondents will help fisheries managers, state and local governments, businesses and others to make better decisions, thereby increasing the long-run economic benefits to communities and stakeholders engaged in or affected by fishing activities, they said.

The survey will ask questions about expenditures by harvesters and processors, including payments for labor, supplies and other costs of operation, and what portion of the spending is made in communities in the Southwest region, elsewhere in Alaska, and outside of the state.

Because of the sensitivity of the information participants are asked to provide, all data will be handled confidentially, NOAA officials said in an announcement Sept. 19. Only summary survey results will be released to the public, and no data identifying individual vessels or businesses will be revealed.

NOAA scientists plan to contact selected shoreside processors, floating processors and catcher processors, plus local support or supply businesses in early-to-mid 2015 to arrange for personal interviews. From mid-to-late 2015 selected harvesters will receive a questionnaire by mail. Vessel registrants receiving a questionnaire will be able to respond by mail or online by logging on to a secure website link provided in the survey packet.

General questions about the harvesting vessel survey may be directed to Chang Seung of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center at 1-206-526-4250 or chang.seung@noaa.gov

Direct questions regarding personal interview with processors and other businesses To Edward Waters, at 1-503-804-8857 or email dewaters@hotmail.com

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