National Survey on Expectations of Aquaculture Associations
1. In terms of its importance to your aquaculture business, please rate each of the functions of a
trade association on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not important and 5 being very important:
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SCORE FOR EACH.
Service/benefit of trade assoc.
Networking
Very little
importance
1
Not very
important
2
Neutral Somewhat
Important
3
4
Very
important
5
Associations give members a chance to connect with clients, strengthen relationships, find new clients, &
strengthen partnerships, make you & your business visible; make friends & share solutions to common problems.
Events
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Conferences, meetings.
Professional development
Acquire new skills & strengthen existing skills through workshops, seminars webinars, mentoring, learning from
peers.
Learning best practices
1
2
3
4
5
Reduce production, marketing, and legal risk by learning & keeping up with industry-wide best practices.
Industry news
1
2
3
4
5
Stay on the cutting edge of the latest news that affects the industry to be able to take advantage of all opportunities
that otherwise might be missed.
Access to member-only services
1
2
3
4
5
4
5
Online resources, marketing materials, discounted resources available only to members.
Supporting organization's mission
1
2
3
Give public voice to aquaculture, serve as watchdog for industry's interests, & otherwise support the industry that
one is engaged in; become a voice to promote values of your industry & business.
Public relations
1
2
3
4
5
2
3
4
5
Advertising, education of public about industry.
Lobbying & public policy initiatives
1
Engaging in discussions with regulatory agencies on public policy initiatives, lobbying political
representatives, representing industry on public policies.
1
2. What aquaculture associations do you currently belong to? Please indicate below:
□ I do not belong to any aquaculture association. PLEASE GO TO QUESTION #9.
□ State association. Please indicate which state: ___________________________________________
□ Species association (CFA, USTFA, PCSGA, etc.). Please indicate all that you belong to:
________________________________________________________________________________
□ National association (WAS-US, AFS-FCS, NAA, etc.). Please indicate all that you belong to:
________________________________________________________________________________
Questions for those who belong to an aquaculture association
3. Considering all the benefits that you receive from your membership in aquaculture
associations, how would you rate the overall benefit to you? Please respond for each association
you belong to by writing in each association on the following lines:
Name of aquaculture
association
Excellent
Very good
Good Marginal
Poor
4. How likely are you to renew your membership in each aquaculture association that you now
belong to?
Name of aquaculture
association
Very likely
Likely
2
Neutral
Unlikely
Very unlikely
5. How likely are you to recommend membership to others for each of the associations that you
belong to?
Name of aquaculture
association
Very likely
Likely
Neutral
Unlikely
Very unlikely
6. Please rate the value of each of the following benefits that you receive from the aquaculture
association that you are most closely aligned with:
Benefit/service received from Excellent
aquaculture association
Very good
Conferences (i.e. Aquaculture
America)
Representation at Trade Shows
Webinars
Workshops
Website
Marketing materials
Industry alerts
Print or electronic newsletters
Representation with regulatory
agencies
Commenting on rulemaking
activities
Presentations at Culinary
Conferences
Media materials
Resource to locate technical
expertise
Other, please write in:
_______________________
3
Good
Fair
Poor
7. Are there any other high priority benefits or services that you believe your aquaculture
association should provide? □ Yes
□ No
If “No,” please go to Question # 14.
If you answered “Yes” above, please list each high-priority benefit/service you would like to receive.
Please be as specific as possible.
A. ______________________________________________________________________________
B. ______________________________________________________________________________
C. ______________________________________________________________________________
8. What topics do you believe that the association that you are most closely aligned with should
be addressing that are not currently being addressed?
A. ______________________________________________________________________________
B. ______________________________________________________________________________
C. _____________________________________________________________________________
Questions for those who do not belong to an aquaculture association at the time of the survey.
9. Have you ever belonged to an aquaculture association? □ Yes
□ No
IF NO, PLEASE GO TO QUESTION # 12.
IF YES, PLEASE FOLLOW WITH QUESTION # 10.
10. Please indicate why you have not continued your membership:
□ Forgot to send in renewal.
□ Do not believe that it is worth the membership fee
□ Other, please describe: _____________________________________________________
11. What types of services or benefits would encourage you to renew your membership? Please
list all that apply.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
PLEASE PROCEED TO QUESTION #14 TO FINISH UP.
4
12. Please indicate why you have never joined an aquaculture association:
□ Do not know how to join.
□ Have never been asked to join.
□ Do not believe that it is worth the membership fee.
□ Other, please describe: ____________________________________________________
13. What types of services or benefits would encourage you to join an aquaculture association?
Please list all that apply.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
FOR ALL RESPONDENTS TO ANSWER:
14. Please check below which category best describes your role in aquaculture:
□ Producer
□ Extension agent/specialist
□ State Agency, Regulatory
□ Federal Agency, Regulatory
□ Processor
□ Researcher
□ State Agency, Non-regulatory
□ Federal Agency, Non-regulatory
□ Equip. or Services Supplier
15. What is the major type of aquaculture product that you produce or work with? Please
indicate the type that is most important to your business.
□ Alligators □ Baitfish □ Catfish □ Clams
□ Crawfish □ Hybrid Striped Bass/Striped Bass
□ Marine fish □ Ornamentals/Goldfish □ Oysters □ Salmon
□ Shrimp/Prawns
□ Sportfish □ Sturgeon □ Tilapia □ Trout
□ Not applicable OTHER: _______
16. In what region of the U.S. are you located?
□ Northeast
□ Mountain
□ Mid-Atlantic
□ West Coast
□ Southeast
□ Hawaii
□ Midwest
□ North Central
□ Washington D.C. □ Alaska
5
□ Southwest