Human Dimension of Rebounding Population of Seals and White Sharks on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Principal Investigator
Jennifer Jackman, Salem State University
Co-Principal Investigators
Owen Nichols, Center for Coastal Studies
Lisa Sette, Center for Coastal Studies
Stephanie Wood, Univ. of Massachusetts-Boston
Melissa Sanderson, Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman's Alliance
Stephanie Sykes, Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman’s Alliance
Cynthia Wigren, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
Megan Winton, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
Marianne Long, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
Allen Rutberg, Center for Animals and Public Policy of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Seana Dowling-Guyer, Center for Animals and Public Policy of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Research Team
Rachel Bratton, University of Massachusetts Boston School for the Environment
Catherine Cummings, Tufts University Center for Animals and Public Policy
Vanessa Bramante, Salem State University
Victoria Kako, Salem State University
Emily Hanlon, Salem State University
Derek Baseman, Salem State University
Nikki Brewster, Salem State University
Summary
This collaborative project will generate knowledge about the views and experiences of residents, tourists, and commercial fishers regarding seals and sharks on Cape Cod. Investigators will use surveys to measure stakeholder beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of seal/shark interactions, management, and conflict mitigation strategies. The knowledge gained from this survey will enable managers, policy makers, and non-governmental organizations to advance marine conservation, promote responsible stewardship, and foster co-existence of humans, seals, and sharks on Cape Cod.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will take the survey?
The survey will be administered to samples of Cape Cod voters, commercial fishers, and tourists between June and August 2021 through the mail and online through Qualtrics. A random sample of Cape Cod voters, stratified by town, was selected from Barnstable County voter lists. One person per household was randomly selected from the population of Barnstable County commercial fishery permit holders obtained from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Using a multi-stage sampling methodology, time blocks were randomly chosen at Cape Cod National Seashore Beaches based on visitor data during which the research team will identify tourists interested in participating in the survey.
How do I complete the survey?
Voters, commercial fishers, and tourists in the samples will be contacted by mail and email and provided with the option of completing the survey online using a unique link or completing a survey booklet that can be mailed back in a pre-stamped return envelope. To ensure a representative sample, multiple contact attempts will be made to increase the response rate. Participation in this survey is voluntary.
What will be done with my responses and contact information?
The study has been reviewed and approved by the Salem State University Institutional Review Board. Each person has been assigned a unique ID number. Your answers are completely confidential and will be used only as a part of statistical summaries in which no individual’s answers can be identified. After you complete the survey, your name will be removed from the mailing list and never connected to your answers in any way.
What will happen with the survey results?
Our research will contribute to the development of public education programs, policies, and management strategies to address conflicts related to wildlife. Following the study, findings will be shared to contribute to coexistence, public safety, management, and public education strategies.
Updates/Reports
Publications
Project Information
Started: February 2020
Completed:
Funded under: NOAA Sea Grant biennial call for proposals