3. Procedure of a field survey
a) Before starting a survey, the purpose of the survey should be explained to key stakeholders such as local government offices, village elders, and fishermen’s leaders, and their cooperation should be requested. Then, sources of information that are not available through a desk-top survey or that can only be obtained locally should be identified. It is important to confirm the survey content and schedule in consultation with fishermen leaders and request the selection of group interview participants.
b) Survey methods can be questionnaire-based or participatory. A questionnaire-based survey is generally used to collect data according to statistical analysis and analyse them. In a participatory survey, target people are selected according to its content, and issues in the field are identified while exchanging opinions with the target group.
c) Depending on the purpose and context of the survey, one survey method or a combination of survey methods is chosen. Participatory surveys that include a flexible choice of survey tools are often appropriate for the following reasons: West African fishing villages have a wide variety of ethnic groups and diverse fishing-related occupations such as fishing boat owners and crews, and female processors.
d) The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method and Rapid Rural Appraisal participatory rural research (RRA) method are social survey methods. Both are defined by the level of participation of local stakeholders and the purpose of the survey and are useful basic tools in field surveys.