Needs assessment for shellfish farm managers 

Hello, shellfish farm managers!  

We are excited to hear from you. We know that surveys are not always fun, but at the end of this one, you can enter a lottery for a chance to win one of multiple $500 cash prizes This survey should take you about 20 minutes and contains 37 multiple-choice questions, with space for comments if you would like to expand on your answers.

This survey is designed to understand your needs when it comes to daily on-the-farm operations. The questions cover aspects of farm management, unexplained mortalities, inventory management, and new technology. The farm manager should fill out the survey as we want to hear from those observing and dealing with these matters directly. The farm manager is defined as the person responsible for making most of the decisions about:

1. Crop production – planting, processing, harvesting, maintenance, and regulatory compliance

2. Equipment utilization – building, tracking, and using gear for growing and harvesting shellfish

3. Staff management – assigning and supervising tasks on the farm

 If more than one person shares these duties, please choose the farm manager who is primarily in charge of crop production and/or who has worked for the farm the longest. Each survey link allows one survey per farm.

The survey results will help align the applied research & product development sectors with your needs. Currently, there is little published information about the desires of shellfish farm managers. This study aims to provide a focused direction for future farm-related products and research. We will share survey results through an open-accessed journal publication, conference presentations, and one-page summaries distributed to conference trade show participants and respondents who opt in at the end of the survey.

Your individual responses are confidential and will not be shared publicly. All responses will be anonymized and reported in aggregate form only. Your survey answers will not be linked to your email and any personal information (emails) will be deleted at the conclusion of the study in the Spring of 2025.

 Your participation in the survey is voluntary, and you may refuse to answer any question. However, the validity of this study depends on each answer to be as truthful and complete as possible.

 This survey is sponsored by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and the results will contribute to the graduate research of Matthew LaGanke. If you have any questions or concerns regarding survey materials or participation in this research, please contact Matthew LaGanke by email (mjlaganke@vims.edu) or telephone (508-505-5631). You may report dissatisfaction with any aspect of this study to Dr. Jennifer Stevens, Ph.D., the Chair of the William & Mary Institutional Review Board (IRB) by email (jastev@wm.edu) or telephone (757-221-3862).

 By completing this survey, you agree to participate in this voluntary study and acknowledge that you have read the information provided above. Survey link: https://wmsas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXW9am74yDXBj3U

 Thank you for your time—we look forward to having you be a part of this research!

Matthew LaGanke

PhD student, Department of Natural Resources

Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Lab & Team (C-SALT)

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William and Mary

E: mjlaganke@vims.edu

Ph: (508) 505-5631