More aquaculture producers urged to respond to survey

While nearly half of Connecticut aquaculture businesses have already completed a survey released on March 23, Connecticut Sea Grant and the state Department of Agriculture on March 24 urged those who had not yet responded to do so as soon as possible.

The survey is designed to provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with information to characterize the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aquaculture sector. The information will allow NOAA to understand the nationwide impact to the aquaculture industry and be used to justify emergency assistance programs.

Please respond as soon as possible  at: https://uconn.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fyd2TXsWmISpI9 (preferred method) or you may respond via email (see below).

Sea Grant and Department of Agriculture staff want aquaculture producers to know that they are reviewing these surveys and acting on what they can immediately. The Commissioner of Agriculture has already responded to questions and concerns expressed in the survey. Once we have all of the responses, we will pass the report on to NOAA officials.

A second survey was sent on March 23 by the National Aquaculture Association: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6rsUSOKhqD7dAln. It is very similar survey, and Sea Grant and the Department of Agriculture have notified the developers that Connecticut is already in the process of surveying its producers. Regardless, Sea Grant and the Department wanted aquaculture producers to know that another opportunity to tell their story is available.

For the Connecticut survey, producers may respond via email to the questions below and also in this Word document that can be emailed as an attachment. Those who choose to respond via email should send their response to this survey to: tessa.getchis@uconn.edu. All information identifying email senders will be stripped from messages so that results remain confidential.

Thank you very much for your assistance,

Connecticut Sea Grant and Connecticut Department of Agriculture

SURVEY

NOAA Survey on Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Aquaculture Industry (*Connecticut*)

  1. Were your February/March 2020 revenues affected in response to COVID-19?
  2. If so, by how much (what percent) do you think revenues are down in comparison to this period last year?
  3. Did you lay off any employees because of COVID-19 in February/March 2020?
  4. If yes, how many FULL-time employees did you lay off in February/March 2020?
  5. If yes, how many PART-time employees did you lay off in February/March 2020?
  6. What was your total number of employees (before layoffs)?
  7. Was market product returned or destroyed in February/March 2020?
  8. What COVID 19 factors are currently impacting your business? (Identify and write “most important” and “very important” from the list below):
  • ___      Reduced opportunity to export product
  • ___      Lower market prices
  • ___      Restaurant closures
  • ___      Reduced demand for product (includes both restaurant and household demand)
  • ___      Reduced domestic landings
  • ___      Other (please describe)

     

    9. Are your customers (restaurants, other) being able to pay their invoices? (Check one: __All/__Most/__Some/__None)

    10. What percentage of your customers are behind on payment?

    11. Are you interested in starting up a farm stand or other type of direct sales, or are you already selling in this manner?

    12. Are there any other impacts from COVID-19 on your business that we should know?

    13. What issues are you most concerned about in the near term (over the next few weeks)?

    14. What issues are you most concerned about in the mid-term (over the next few months)?

    15. Suggest ways that NOAA, Sea Grant or the CT Department of Agriculture can assist you with the issues you identified above.