2008 Louisiana Recreational Fisherman and Health Advisory Survey Report
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2008 LOUISIANA RECREATIONAL FISHERMAN AND HEALTH ADVISORY SURVEY REPORT Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Award Number: 48629 By Ebenezer O. Ogunyinka David R. Lavergne Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Office of Management and Finance Socioeconomic Research and Development Section Baton Rouge, Louisiana June, 2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to express our gratitude to those who have assisted us in the preparation of this report. Dr. Yeong Nain Chi’s work in gathering initial information for the survey is highly commended. A special thank you goes to Dr. Jack Isaacs who assisted not only in the preparation of the survey instruments but also in reviewing the preliminary draft of the survey report. His comments and suggestions have greatly contributed to the quality of the report. The contribution of Dr. Latika Bharadwaj, Michael Buckner, Herb Holloway, Vincent Hoang, Martin Bourgeois and Harry Blanchet are appreciated for their assistance during the preparation and mailing of the questionnaires. We also thank David Dousay and Bobbie Savant for their guidance and assistance with the database. The workers in the Enforcement Section of Louisiana Department of Wildlife of Fisheries also deserve our appreciation for allowing the use of their printer to print the survey instruments. Our appreciation also goes to the Fisheries Biologists, particularly Dr. Brian Alford and Mike Wood, who assisted in reviewing this report and provided valuable comments and suggestions. This study would not have been possible without the funding provided by the Department of Health and Hospitals and without the willingness of the survey participants who responded to our questionnaires. To all of you, we say thank you. TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................. i LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF BOXES ....................................................................................................................... xxiv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................1 A. SYNOPSIS OF SURVEY FINDINGS ...........................................................................1 A.1: Demographic Information ..............................................................................1 A.2: Fishing Activities ............................................................................................1 A.3: Fish Consumption Pattern and Effects of Health Warnings ..........................2 B. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................3 C. SAMPLING AND SAMPLE DESIGNS ........................................................................5 1.0 DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON SURVEY RESPONDENTS ..................................10 1.1 GENDER .....................................................................................................................10 1.2 AGE .............................................................................................................................11 1.3 HOUSEHOLD SIZE ....................................................................................................11 1.4 PREGNANCY OR NURSING IN HOUSEHOLD .....................................................15 1.5 RACE / ETHNICITY ..................................................................................................16 1.6 LEVEL OF EDUCATION ..........................................................................................17 1.7 OCCUPATION ............................................................................................................19 1.8 LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME .........................................................................19 1.9 HOUSEHOLD INCOME ............................................................................................22 2.0 BASIC FISHING INFORMATION ........................................................................................24 2.1 FISHING PARTICIPATION AND ACTIVITIES ......................................................24 ‐ i ‐ 2.2 FISHING EXPERIENCE ............................................................................................24 2.3 FISHING PERIODS ....................................................................................................26 2.4 REASONS FOR GOING FISHING ............................................................................27 2.5 PRIMARY FISHING METHOD ................................................................................28 3.0 FRESHWATER FISHING ACTIVITIES ...............................................................................29 3.1 FRESHWATER FISHING SPOTS .............................................................................29 3.2 DISTANCE TRAVELED TO FRESHWATER FISHING SPOTS ............................30 3.3 TRIPS TO FRESHWATER FISHING SPOTS ...........................................................32 3.4 FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES KEPT ......................................................................36 3.5 NON-FISH FRESHWATER SPECIES KEPT ............................................................38 4.0 SALTWATER FISHING ACTIVITIES..................................................................................40 4.1 SALTWATER FISHING SPOTS ...............................................................................40 4.2 DISTANCE TRAVELED TO SALTWATER FISHING SPOTS ..............................41 4.3 TRIPS TO SALTWATER FISHING SPOTS .............................................................42 4.4 SALTWATER FISH SPECIES KEPT ........................................................................47 4.5 NON-FISH SALTWATER SPECIES KEPT ..............................................................49 4.6 TOTAL NON-FISH SPECIES KEPT .........................................................................49 5.0 HEALTH / FISH CONSUMPTION BENEFITS AND ADVISORIES ..................................50 5.1 AWARENESS OF HEALTH BENEFITS OF FISH CONSUMPTION .....................50 5.2 SEAFOOD / FISH CONSUMPTION HABITS ..........................................................51 5.2.1 PERSONALLY CAUGHT SEAFOOD AND CONSUMPTION FREQUENCY ..............................................................................................53 5.2.2 FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF FISH CONSUMPTION PER MONTH .......................................................................................................53 ‐ ii ‐ 5.2.3 PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS’ SELF-CAUGHT FISH ..................53 5.2.4 PERIODS OF FISH CONSUMPTION ........................................................56 5.3 AWARENESS ON HEALTH / FISH CONSUMPTION WARNINGS .....................57 5.3.1 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON HEALTH/FISH CONSUMPTION WARNINGS ................................................................................................57 5.3.2 HEALTH/FISH CONSUMPTION WARNINGS’ CONTENTS .................58 5.3.3 LAST TIME CONSUMPTION WARNINGS WERE SEEN, HEARD OR READ ABOUT ......................................................................................59 5.3.4 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTIES OF CONSUMPTION WARNINGS ..............60 5.4 RESPONSE TO HEALTH / FISH CONSUMPTION WARNINGS ..........................61 5.4.1 EFFECT ON FISHING ACTIVITIES ..........................................................61 5.4.2 EFFECT ON FISH CONSUMPTION HABITS ..........................................62 5.4.2.1 CHANGE IN FISH EATING HABITS ..........................................63 5.4.2.2 REASON FOR NOT CHANGING FISH EATING HABITS ........64 5.4.3 SUGGESTIONS ON INFORMATION DISSEMINATION METHODS ...65 5.5 TESTS / DIAGNOSIS OF MERCURY IN BLOOD ..................................................66 6.0 GENERAL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS BY RESPONDENTS .............................69 7.0 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY .......................................70 APPENDICES A - H .....................................................................................................................73 APPENDIX A: SAMPLE DESIGN TABLES ..............................................................................75 APPENDIX B: TABLES ON DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION .............................................79 APPENDIX C: BASIC FISHING INFORMATION TABLES ..................................................125 APPENDIX D: FRESHWATER FISHING TABLES ................................................................131 APPENDIX E: SALTWATER FISHING TABLES ...................................................................189 APPENDIX F: FISH CONSUMPTION TABLES ......................................................................231 APPENDIX G: TABLES ON HEALTH / FISH CONSUMPTION WARNINGS .....................247 APPENDIX H: SAMPLE OF SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ....................................................303 ‐ iii ‐ LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Map of Geographical Areas ............................................................................................8 Figure 2: Survey Response Rates By Geographical Areas and Fishing License Categories..........9 Figure 3: Percentage of Survey Respondents By Gender and Fishing License Categories ..........10