The 2013 summer boating season is about to begin. Many boaters in the Mid-Atlantic from New Jersey to Virginia will receive a letter in the next two weeks that is being mailed to a pre-selected sample of ocean boaters inviting them to join the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Recreational Boater Survey.. The invitation will come in the mail and contain a unique identification code that will be used by the boater to log in and register online.
Recreational boating in the Mid-Atlantic is a very important recreational and economic activity in the region. Unfortunately, there is little documented data about the details of recreational ocean boating, such as duration of trips, and when and where boats visit. Invited boaters are strongly encouraged to sign on. In addition, spatial information about recreational ocean boating activity is vital to obtain to minimize ocean use conflicts. The more participants, the better the information.
Starting June 1, participants will receive via e-mail, a link to the monthly survey. Each monthly survey will focus its questions on participant’s most recent boating activity in the previous month. Surveys will be conducted from June to November. Inquiries will be made about the location, duration, time, activities, and money spent on trips.
The survey is being conducted by the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, UMass Center for Survey Research, and other collaborators on behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO). The project is an extension of a similar survey that is already underway in New England. MARCO is collaborating among the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia to manage ocean resources in an effort to improve their health and ensure the waters off the Mid-Atlantic continue to contribute to the region’s quality of life and economic vitality. The data will be compiled to develop economic information and create maps to enhance MARCO’s online mapping tool, the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal: portal.midatlanticocean.org/portal/.
For more information, contact Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute at 732-263-5662.