Project title: Assessing the social, economic and cultural value of recreational sea bass angling in Wales.
This information is also available in Welsh.
What is the purpose of the study?
This study is being conducted by the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) at the University of Gloucestershire, on behalf of the Welsh Government.
The aim of the study is to better understand the value of recreational sea bass angling in Wales, including its economic, social, and cultural importance. In particular, the survey will collect information about participation in sea bass angling, associated expenditure, and the benefits anglers gain from taking part. The findings will help inform future fisheries management and policy development in Wales.
Why have I been invited and what will participation involve?
You have been invited because of your experience of recreational sea bass angling. You must be over the age of 18 years (including 18 years old) to take part in the research.
Participation involves completing an online questionnaire, which should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The survey includes questions about:
- Your participation in recreational sea bass angling in Wales
- Spending associated with your angling activities
- The benefits and values you derive from taking part in fishing
- Your views and experiences as a sea bass angler
As a thank you for taking part, respondents who complete the survey will have the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win £100 in vouchers for an angling store of their choice. Entry into the prize draw is optional and will be administered separately from survey responses to maintain anonymity.
Do I have to take part and can I withdraw?
No. Participation is entirely voluntary. You are free to:
- Decide not to take part
- Skip questions you do not wish to answer (please note: a small number of questions are mandatory for the purposes of study eligibility and directing respondents to the correct questions)
- Exit the survey at any time before submission
If you decide to withdraw your survey responses after submission, you may do so by contacting Dr Adam Fisher (afisher9@glos.ac.uk) within 30 days of submitting your responses.
After this point, survey responses may have been anonymised and incorporated into the analysis, and it may no longer be possible to identify and remove your individual responses.
How will my data be used and processed?
We will not collect or retain any personal data beyond what is necessary to carry out this research. Personal data (such as contact details provided for the prize draw) will be used solely for the purposes of administering the prize draw and will not be linked to your survey responses.
All information provided will be treated confidentially. The questions offer little opportunity for the identification of individuals; we generally do not ask for information that could be used to identify individuals. None-the-less, survey responses will be reviewed and anonymised during analysis so that individual participants cannot be identified.
The anonymised data will be analysed and used to produce aggregated findings. These findings will be reported as part of a study commissioned by the Welsh Government and may also be shared with relevant public stakeholders, such as the Angling Trust and other organisations with an interest in recreational fisheries and fisheries management. Findings may also be included in publicly available reports and academic outputs, such as peer-reviewed journal articles.
No individuals will be identifiable in any reports, publications, presentations, or other outputs resulting from this research.
Upon project completion (2027), the data will be given to Welsh Government ONLY; you will not be identifiable in that data.
How will my data be stored and for how long?
All data will be handled in accordance with UK GDPR and University of Gloucestershire data protection policies. Alongside the description of how we will treat your data given in this participant information statement, during the research phase, we also conform the University of Gloucestershire’s research participants privacy notice, which can be accessed by clicking here. University of Gloucestershire data protection policies can be accessed by clicking here. Key data handling storage protocols are shown below.
- Data will be stored securely on University of Gloucestershire OneDrive and on password-protected computers (where possible stored in locked facilities)
- Access to data will be restricted to the research team
- Survey responses will be stored separately from any contact information collected for the prize draw.
- Contact details collected for the prize draw will be deleted once the prize draw has been completed.
- Personal data will be securely stored in accordance with University GDPR policies and procedures.
- Anonymised research data may be retained for up to 5 years for research, reporting and audit purposes.
As previously mentioned, the data collection is being commissioned by Welsh Government, therefore it is also subject to their privacy statement, which can be accessed by clicking here. We ask that you read both statement prior to completing the research.
Are there any risks?
There are no significant risks anticipated from taking part in this study. The survey focuses on your experiences and participation in recreational sea bass angling and is not expected to involve sensitive or distressing topics. You are free to skip any questions that you do not wish to answer and may stop completing the survey at any time before submitting your responses.
What are the benefits?
There are no direct benefits to participants. However, your input will contribute to improving understanding of the economic, social and cultural value of recreational sea bass angling and help inform future fisheries management and policy in Wales.
Participants who complete the survey will also have the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win £100 in vouchers for an angling store of their choice.
Who has reviewed this research for ethical clearance?
The survey has been approved by the University of Gloucestershire Research Ethics Committee and steps have been taken to ensure the survey fully complies with the necessary personal data management procedures in place at the University (more info: https://www.glos.ac.uk/research/research-ethics).
Who can I contact with questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about the research, please contact:
Dr Adam Fisher
Email: afisher9@glos.ac.uk
If you have any concerns about the conduct of this research, you may contact:
Professor Matt Reed (Chair, University Research Ethics Committee)
Email: mreed@glos.ac.uk
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