In 2012, a partnership including SeaPlan, the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC), representatives of the boating industry, New England states, the state of New York, and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted the Northeast Recreational Boating Survey. A key tool for ocean planning in the Northeast, the survey characterizes when, where, and how New Englanders motor and sail for fun. The results of the survey, which was based on input from boaters themselves, give us important information on where and how recreational boating interacts with other ocean uses, or might in the future. They also provide important information about the economic output of recreational boating and boaters’ perspectives on coastal issues.
More than 12,000 boaters from Maine to New York participated, and publicity about the survey—particularly a story by the Associated Press—has put ocean planning issues in front of many more ocean stakeholders. The article highlights the survey’s findings on the economic impact of recreational boating in New England—about $3.5 billion in 2012.
In April 2013, after the survey was completed, NROC, SeaPlan, and industry partners held a series of workshops with government and industry representatives to review draft survey results and to further discuss regional ocean planning issues. A summary of these meetings is available (PDF) (23pp, 683K).
2015 Recreational Characterization Study
In 2015, the RPB launched a study to characterize recreational activities in the Northeast. With input from industry representatives, stakeholder groups, and an RPB steering committee, the study was led by a project team that included Point 97, SeaPlan, and the Surfrider Foundation. Information was specifically collected on:
- Whale watching activities, characterized through a series of in-person workshops held with industry representatives throughout the region from late April to late May.
- SCUBA diving activities and marine events, including sailing regattas, saltwater sportfishing tournaments, and competitive board and paddle events.
- Individual recreational uses, such as sea kayaking, surfing, and general beach uses, categorized as shore-based, surface water, diving, and wildlife and sightseeing activities.
These activities were characterized through in-person meetings, participatory mapping exercises, online surveys, and supplemental research. For a summary of methods and results, see the Final Report: Characterization of Coastal and Marine Recreational Activity in the U.S. Northeast (265pp, 9M).
