Profile of Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries in the U.S.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0773​

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Expiration date: 04/30/2025.

Costs and Earnings Survey Instrument
PROFILE OF SMALL-SCALE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN
(Costs and Earnings Survey Instrument –English Version)
Interviewer
Name

Date

No. Contacts

Refusal reason

Survey #

Respondent’s
Name

The data you provide will be used to develop a socioeconomic profile of Caribbean small-scale fisheries. Everything we talk about will be
confidential. When we finish our interviews and other work, we will write a report that summarizes everything we have learned. We will
not use people’s names in our reports, or write about anything that is sensitive. Participation in this survey is voluntary, and you do not
need to answer any questions you do not wish to answer. However, we strongly encourage you to participate. You have a vital stake in the
way fishery decisions are made, and only you can provide valuable information, which will be used to strengthen the management,
protection, and conservation of marine resources. If you agree that sounds okay and if you do not have any questions, I would like to start
by asking you a few basic questions about you and your fishing operation.
St Thomas and St. John Fish and Lobster Trap Study
Name:
Cell
Estate where live:
Zip Code:

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Demographic information​
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1.​ What is your role on the boat?

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 Owner and operator​  Hired captain ​

 Crew/diver ​​

 Other:______

2.​ How many years of experience do you have as a commercial fisherman? _______ years
3.​ How old are you? _______ years
4.​ What is the highest level of formal education?
◻ Less than High School ◻ High School ◻ University/Technical Courses/Associate Degree
5.​ How would you describe your degree of participation in fishing?
 Full-time​

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 Part-time​

 No longer fish

6.​ What percentage of your overall household income is derive from fishing and selling fish? ____ %
7.​ If not 100%, what other activities do you engage in? ___________________
Fishing Trip
8.​ What goal or objective do you have in mind for your fishing trip? (e.g., catch as many fish as possible, earn a certain amount of money per
trip, fulfil an order from a client- describe, other?
Explain: __________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Main gear: Lobster & fish traps

Target species: Lobster

Average number of traps hauled during
trip?
a)​ Lobster traps
b)​ Fish traps

# _____ lobster (soak time____ days)
#______ fish (soak time____ days)

Trip duration (hrs)

#______ hrs/trip

Number trips per week

#_____trips/week

Habitat and depth range (ft)

Habitat________
depth range:____ ft

Average Catch (lbs/trip)
a)​
b)​
c)​
d)​

Lobster
Conch
Fish
Other

#_______ lbs
#_______ lbs
#________ lbs [Species:___________]
#________ lbs [Species:___________]

Total crew size (all, inc. captain)

#_______

Other gears used in this trip? Check all that
apply

◻

Dive # ____ tanks
Nets # ____ nets
◻ Lines # ____ lines
◻ Other #_________
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Fish Costs per trip ($/trip)
a)​
b)​
c)​
d)​
e)​
f)​
g)​
h)​

Fuel and oil
Gallons of fuel used per trip
Truck fuel per trip:
Ice
Bait
Food
Air supply
Other expenses :____________

Average gross revenue per trip:

$ ________ /trip
# ________ gal./trip
$ ________ /trip
$ ________ /trip (◻ Make my own)
$ ________ /trip
$ ________ /trip
#____ tanks $/tank_____ (air refill)
$ ________ /trip
$ ________/ trip

Gross revenue range: Very good trip $________/trip vs. Poor trip $________/trip

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Investment in Fishing Boats, Gear and Equipment. Tell us about your primary boat, where you conduct your trap fishing.
9.​ How many boats do you own? ____ boats
Primary
Vessel

Working
condition

Length
(ft)

Hull Material

Number of engines

Value of vessel and engines in
current condition ($)

Number: _____

Main
(primary)

Yes/No

___ ft

◻ Fiberglass
◻ Wood
◻ Fiber/wood
◻ Aluminum
◻ Steel
◻ Other: _____

Outboard Yes/No
Inboard Yes/No
Both Yes/No
◻ Diesel:
◻Gasoline:
HP (1):
HP (2):
HP (3):
HP (4):

$______________

_____
_____
_____
_____

10.​ Last year, approximately how much did you spent maintaining and repairing your boat and engines? $ _________
11.​ Do you own any of the following pieces fishing and safety equipment? Check all that apply.
◻ Trap puller/hauler (winch) (◻ Electric ◻ Hydraulic ◻ Manual) ​
◻ Reel (◻ Manual ◻ Electric ◻ Hydraulic) ​
◻ GPS ​
◻ Depth finder ​
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◻ Cell
◻ Fish finder ◻ Radio ​ ◻ EPIRB
◻ Other:_______

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Investment in fish and lobster traps
Traps/Pots

Total
number
owned

Total
number in
the water

Total number
hauled per trip

Lobster
#____

#____

#____

Number of traps
per string

#____ per string
Buoyed 󠆸Yes 󠆸No

Fish
# ______

# ______

# ______

#____ per string
Buoyed 󠆸Yes 󠆸No

Type and number hauled per
trip
Square
# ______
Rectangular # ______
Round
# ______
Arrowhead # __________
Z (o S) shaped # ______
Other:_________ # ______
Square
# ______
Rectangular # ______
Round
# ______
Arrowhead # __________
Z (o S) shaped # ______
Other:_________ # ______

12.​ What is the cost of your most common single trap (without ropes and bouys) and how long does it last?
Value $ ______ single most common trap (without ropes and bouys)​

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How long do traps last: _______ months or years

13.​ Approximate value (in current condition) of overall investment in lobster and fish traps, including ropes and buoys? $ ______
14.​ Last year, approximately how much did you spent maintaining and repairing your traps? $ _________

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Crew dynamics
15.​ Who are the members of your fishing crew? (Select all that apply)
 Family ​

 Friends​

 Acquaintances​

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 Other: __________

16.​ How easy or hard is to recruit crew members for your fishing trips?
 very hard​

 hard ​

 easy​  very easy​

 Don’t know ​ No answer

17.​ Besides helping with fishing related activities, do your crew members help you with following? (check all that apply)
◻​ Selling and marketing fish
◻​ Building or repairing gear such as traps
◻​ Repairing boat and/or engine
◻​ Provide you with loans to cover fishing trips (e.g, gasoline), gear and engine maintenance expenses, etc.
◻​ None of the above
18.​ How do you pay your crew?

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Share system (everybody gets a percentage after deducting costs such as gasoline, food, bait, etc)​
Fixed payment
Combination (share and fixed payment)
Other:____________

Seafood Marketing
19.​ Rank the top 3 revenue generating markets for lobster? (e.g., restaurant, roadside, hotel, govt market, pers. clients, dealer, etc)

Main Lobster Markets

Percentage of sales (%)
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Average Price ($/lb)

Most important market :
2nd most important :
3rd most important :
20.​ How do you decide on your fish prices? (Select all that apply)
◻​ I accept the price offered by fish buyers or fish cooperative
◻​ I use the same prices as other fishers
◻​ I charge what buyers are willing to pay (or buyer interest)
◻​ I negotiate the price with buyers
◻​ I set my own price based on my costs and what I need to earn
◻​ Other way (please tell us):___________
21.​ How many freezers (not coolers) to store fish you own? _________
22.​ How do you manage your inventory? (Select all that apply)

Method

Lobster

Immediate sale of catch
Holding tanks/live well
Short-term ice storage
Refrigeration/freezing
Processing (boiling tails, smoking, drying, etc.)
Other (please specify;)_________
23.​ Do you take orders for your catches before going on a trip?

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Reef-fish

◻​ Never
◻​ Rarely (less than 25% of trips)
◻​ Sometimes (25-50% of trips)
◻​ Often (51-75% of trips)
◻​ Always (more than 75% of trips)

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