Overview
The last two months have been a trying and emotional time for the residents of New York and New Jersey. The impacts to our family and friends have been tremendous and the costs to the region's infrastructure are being measured in the billions of dollars. Those of us who live and make our livelihood around the ocean and its resources, recognize the devastation of the recreational fishing industry. Docks, boats, businesses and entire communities have been lost in several locations. As we struggle to assess the impacts on our livelihoods and the areas we call home, a collection of industry groups have asked NY Sea Grant to facilitate data collection to document the damages in recreational fishing communities.
On November 16th, the Department of Commerce officially determined under section 308(d) of the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act (IFA) and section 315 of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act (Magnuson Stevens Act):
A catastrophic regional fishery disaster has occurred due to a natural disaster for New York and New Jersey. By law, this fishery disaster declaration includes fishermen, charter fishing operators, United States fish processors, and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by the disaster. In addition to authorizing Small Business Administration loans (SBA), the determination provides a basis for Congress to appropriate disaster relief funding to provide assistance to affected communities. NMFS is conducting an economic assessment of the impacts as part of the directive under MSA, and this report will be submitted to Governor Cuomo. As recreational fishing industry professionals, it is important to participate in fishery disaster relief activities being coordinated by the federal government.
This is unprecedented territory for our industry and our area of the country. In the hopes that Congress will in fact appropriate funding, we need to begin the data collection process now to act after the decision. At the request of the New York Fishing Tackle Trade Association, United Boatmen of NY, New York Sportfishing Federation, Regal Marine Products, and the Recreational Fishing Alliance, New York Sea Grant is helping to collect information to document losses and physical damages to your business as a part of the recreational fishing industry. We have developed a questionnaire and worksheet for this purpose, and ask you to take a few minutes to describe the changes in your business that occurred since Saturday October 27, 2012.
YOUR RESPONSE IS CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL BE USED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND PLANNING PURPOSES, ONLY.
Thank you for making the effort to assist us during this difficult time. Data are being collected from tackle shops, party/charter boats, and marinas. Data compiled under this exercise will supplement other ongoing assessment activities, and create the foundation to prepare a spending plan that is required in an appropriation request to rebuild the fishing industry. Your input is important in this fishery disaster process, and we encourage you to share this link with other owners. Please help to spread the word to as many recreational fishing businesses as possible.
If you have any questions regarding the process or general questions about the questionnaire, please contact Antoinette Clemetson of Sea Grant (
aoc5@cornell.edu), Melissa Dearborn (
melissa@regalbait.com), John Mantione (
nyftta@earthlink.net), Kathy Heinlein (
kheinlein529@aol.com), or Jim Hutchinson (
jhutchinson@joinrfa.org). Again, NY Sea Grant is facilitating the data collection and your information will be held confidential. While trade group leaders are engaged in the distribution and development of data collection, they will not have direct access to completed questionnaires.
Completed questionnaires must be returned to New York Sea Grant no later than January 31st, 2013.
New York Sea Grant
Attn: FISHERIES DISASTER
3059 Sound Avenue
Riverhead, NY 11901
Tel: (631) 727-3910 Ext 11
Fax: (631) 369-5944
Email: aoc5@cornell.edu
Information for NY Tackle Shops
Instructions
The information that you disclose is confidential, and information that is shared with a third party will be summarized. By completing the survey you are agreeing to this condition.
Estimating Revenue Loss after Super Storm Sandy
- Use the "Sandy Economic Loss Worksheet" (.xls) provided to calculate your estimated loss of revenue in 2012. If you use Online Submission, please remember to email your completed worksheet, separately.
- Although it is very hard to determine the future cost of these impacts, please use the space provide to list and give an estimate as to some of the costs/losses that you may incur from now through the opening of the 2013 fishing season on April 1st. Use additional paper if necessary.
Documenting Infrastructure Damage
- One major industry concern is the status of our recreational fishing infrastructure. Many access points have been damaged. So that we may start to get an inventory of these locations, please use the space provided to list any docks, piers, ramps, etc..., in your local community that have been damaged.
- Pictures to document the locations and damage would be very helpful. If you have photos to submit, please E-mail them separately to Antoinette Clemetson at aoc5@cornell.edu. Please remember to make a note of the address of the locations(s) for all pictures. And be sure to mark the final question on the questionnaire, "Submitting any photos?" with a "Yes" so we can match up your response with the photo(s) you send.
[To Mail or Fax Your Response] – PDF
[To Use Online Submission] – Click Here
Information for NY For Hire - Party and Charter Boat Industry
Instructions
The information that you disclose is confidential, and information that is shared with a third party will be summarized. By completing the survey you are agreeing to this condition.
Estimating Revenue Loss after Super Storm Sandy
- Please provide an estimate of monetary value as to how much income was lost to your business by not being able to leave the dock for fishing, whether due to damage, waterway closures or lack of customers (cancelled trips, returned deposits, etc.), no electricity, evacuation or closures? (Note: Estimated lost revenue for Nov/Dec 2012 as compared to same time frame over average of 2009-2011.)
Documenting Infrastructure Damage
- One major industry concern is the status of our recreational fishing infrastructure. Many access points have been damaged. So that we may start to get an inventory of these locations, please use the space provided to list any docks, piers, ramps, etc..., in your local community that have been damaged.
- Pictures to document the locations and damage would be very helpful. If you have photos to submit, please E-mail them separately to Antoinette Clemetson at aoc5@cornell.edu. Please remember to make a note of the address of the locations(s) for all pictures. And be sure to mark the final question on the questionnaire, "Submitting any photos?" with a "Yes" so we can match up your response with the photo(s) you send.
[To Mail or Fax Your Response] – PDF
[To Use Online Submission] – Click Here
