Seeking private-boat bluefin tuna anglers for focus group: Feb 6, Toms River, NJ

[Willy G.]

Guys,

Glad to see the discussion here! In fact, your thoughts are exactly the kind of information we're looking to obtain at the focus groups. The survey will be using what is called a "stated-choice" approach--given regulations, anticipated/actual number of fish caught/kept, cost, and perhaps other factors (number of fish hooked but lost?), would you choose to target bluefin or not? What factors have the most weight in determining whether you would go bluefin fishing? How important is it, say, to keep a second bluefin after you've already got one on deck? We'll get at these questions by presenting anglers with simulated fishing trips (with varying levels of the factors mentioned above) and seeing which trip (if any) is preferred.

Of course, as you guys are mentioning, the "value" of going bluefin fishing, or the different weight that each factor holds in determining decision-making, varies across anglers--be it by port location, primary gear type used, primary target species, etc. By surveying anglers up and down the coast, we'll hopefully be able to gain insight into this variability.