The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board worked with representatives of local fishing communities, agency representatives, and scientists to develop a questionnaire to better understand consumption of fish by San Francisco Bay Area subsistence fishers. Subsistence fishers are people who fish to feed themselves and their families and friends on a regular basis, rather than sport fishers who fish as a recreational activity. Developing this questionnaire was phase 1 of a three-phase project. 

Final report on the development of the consumption survey questionnaire 

Phase 1

A series of workshops was held to obtain input from the groups involved.  

The first workshop was held at SFEI on November 3, 2023. The goal of this workshop was to begin the process of developing the questionnaire. The discussion focused on what questions to include in the survey. The meeting agenda, slides, and summary are posted.

The second workshop was a virtual meeting held on February 15, 2024. This meeting focused on the refined list of questions and the details of the formulation of each question and possible responses. The meeting agenda, slides, and summary are posted.

The third final meeting was held on May 13, 2024 to conclude phase 1 of the project. Preliminary guidance on implementation of the survey was discussed, setting the stage for phase 2. An agenda, slides, summary of the meeting are posted.

Phases 2 & 3

Phase 2 community-based survey pilot testing occurred in February and March 2025. 

Phase 3 extensive survey collection has now been incorporated into the EPA funded Protecting Bay Fishers project starting October 2026 through 2031.

For more information please contact Anthony Khalil.