Characterizing Crew and Fuel Price Impacts: A Survey of Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Quota Share Holders, 2015

In February 2010, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Sea Grant conducted a mail out survey to quota share (QS) holders of the Alaska Individual Fishing Quota program for halibut and sablefish. This survey was conducted to gather more information on crewmembers and cost of fuel prices for the Alaska halibut and sablefish fishery.

Results showed that the crew in certain areas on smaller vessels tended to be drawn from the local region while on larger vessels in more remote areas, crew tended to be drawn from outside the local region. Results also showed that more remote areas of Alaska tended to have higher operating costs and greater difficulty finding crew compared to areas with larger population bases. Financing to purchase more QS for halibut and sablefish was more difficult to obtain for those in remote areas but these areas had the highest response to purchase more QS (Area 4, halibut; AI, in sablefish).

The survey was mailed to a sample of 895 halibut QS holders and 400 sablefish QS holders. A total of 1,295 surveys were distributed by mail and 365 were returned. An online version of the survey received 69 responses not included in the control group.