Sustainable Coastal Communities: Protecting and Managing the Working Waterfront A questionnaire for Policy Makers - to assess their awareness

Gulf of Maine Council Action Plan Working waterfronts need to be protected and promoted Under Goal 3: Support Vibrant Communities: 3.3 Assess working waterfront awareness Short-term Outcome: “ Coastal lawmakers have increased awareness of creative approaches to protect and manage the working waterfront infrastructure that marine-dependant industries require to remain competitive.”

Objectives: to obtain accurate, relevant information to maximize response rate Design of questionnaires

Open vs. Closed format Include introductory material Include questions to detect consistency Confidentiality Ending properly including thank you Piloting or pre-testing questionnaire Design of questionnaires

Use short and simple sentences Ask for only one piece of information at a time Avoid negatives if possible Ask precise questions Ensure those you ask have the necessary knowledge Ensure an appropriate level of detail Sensitive issues Minimize bias Design of questionnaires

Very confident (favorable) Somewhat confident Slightly confident Not at all confident Very likely Somewhat likely Not very likely Not at all likely Agree completely Agree somewhat Disagree somewhat Disagree completely Use of AgriFood Canada survey as starting point

questionnaire format on-line (least labor intensive; options include mail-in, or interviews) Survey Monkey short 5 to 10 minutes duration open and/or closed questions policy makers in each jurisdiction identified according to criteria assesses but also informs adaptable to any jurisdiction a simple means of reporting results Assessing Working Waterfront Awareness

Government (federal, provincial or state, municipal, First Nations) Senior managers Influence decision-making in planning/management of: marine and coastal resources land use / sustainable communities harbor authority land tenure land value assessment business industry tourism and recreation transportation infrastructure climate change and environment Who? Criteria for Identifying Law/Policy Makers

Working waterfronts need to be protected and promoted Under Goal 3: Support Vibrant Communities: 3.3 Assess working waterfront awareness Short-term Outcome: “ Coastal lawmakers have increased awareness of creative approaches to protect and manage the working waterfront infrastructure that marine-dependant industries require to remain competitive.” Why? Is this about assessment or building knowledge or both?

Questions we want to have answered: What is the extent of knowledge among policy makers about: a definition of the working waterfront the importance of the working waterfront who uses the working waterfront what issues face the working waterfront what are solutions to these challenges

1.Set the stage – purpose and characteristics of questionnaire; brief background on the GOMC, working waterfronts and the issues of concern 2.Determine initial state of knowledge 3.Explore awareness on different aspects 4.Determine final state of knowledge 5.Demographic questions 6.Closing How? Layout of questionnaire

Possible content of a questionnaire

The Gulf of Maine Council was established in 1989 by the Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to foster cooperative actions within the Gulf watershed. Its mission is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. The Gulf of Maine Council has established an Action Plan for to help guide its activities. One of the goals of the Action Plan is increase understanding about the working waterfronts in our coastal areas. Specifically, we want to increase awareness of approaches to protect and manage the working waterfront infrastructure that marine-dependant industries require to remain competitive. Introduction

Introduction: What is a Working Waterfront? Sites and facilities providing physical access to the sea for commercial fishing and other marine commercial activities, including other facilities and services, which may not be located immediately at the shore, needed to support these activities. The work of the waterfront includes fishing, small business, manufacturing, tourism, scientific research, the arts, aquaculture, transportation, and stewardship.

Determine the Initial State of Knowledge What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the working waterfront today?

Which of the following do you feel are important values of the working waterfront? provides a link between land and sea provides physical access to the ocean/sea provides a location for infrastructure and services to marine-dependant industry provides economic value provides social and cultural values provides environmental values Definite value Some value No value

loss of working waterfront changing global and local economies changing demographics (out-migration, rural to urban) changing climate (storm surge, flooding, erosion) marine ecosystem failure (loss of fish stocks) water quality /availability (salt water intrusion) energy costs aging of infrastructure Which of the following do you consider to be challenges facing the working waterfront in your jurisdiction? Definitely a challenge Somewhat of a challenge Not likely a challenge Definitely not a challenge

Extremely concerned Very concerned A little concerned Not concerned competition for limited land area (market value versus reasonable business value) environmental degradation of harbor waters competition for harbor space, moorings and parking adequate space for storage of gear and services balancing needs of residents and tourists rising assessments and property taxes dredging and containment of spoil waste management providing access conflicts between users Which of the following do you consider to be challenges facing the working waterfront in your jurisdiction?

Definitely a challenge Somewhat of a challenge Not likely a challenge Definitely not a challenge sales of waterfront lots to non-fishing owners conversion of wharves to non-commercial or recreational marine uses disputes over legal access rights revoking permission for access

How confident are you that users of marine resources will continue to have access to the waterfront in your jurisdiction? Are you…. Very confident Somewhat confident Slightly confident Not at all confident

What priority should be given to each of the following potential solutions? involve people in solutions (encourage stewardship) adopt a vision and take a strategic approach ensure the enduring character of community, ecological, and economic vitality seek economic development approaches that also benefit quality of life and the local environment implement strategies for energy efficiency conserve fisheries and marine resources plan according to carrying capacity create efficient infrastructure A high priority A low priority or Not a priority Do not know what this means

What priority should be given to each of the following potential solutions? A high priority A low priority or Not a priority Do not know what this means zoning (mixed use, or water- dependant uses only) performance or tiered zoning creation of harbor improvement districts voluntary, sector-developed “best practices” value assessment for water- dependant uses infrastructure improvements harbor management plans

What priority should be given to each of the following potential solutions? Non-regulatory Options: education about commercial fishing and working waterfronts formation of a commercial fishing heritage trust with other coastal communities obtain land for public water access (purchase, work with land trusts or purchase development rights) encourage car-pooling to reduce parking problems create fund for investments in the waterfront hire a full-time harbor master Implement user fees tax policy changes A high priority A low priority or Not a priority Do not know what this means

What priority should be given to each of the following potential solutions? Regulatory Options: policies and strategies in comprehensive plan require permits for nuisance conditions provide fishers first right and refusal on waterfront properties restrictions on residential uses in shoreland areas zoning including restrictions on non-marine related uses consider other zoning systems – performance/tiered plan use of interior lands for water- independent uses A high priority A low priority or Not a priority Do not know what this means

What programs or projects has your organization put in place that may help address these challenges?

Determine the Final State of Knowledge What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the working waterfront today?