3. Methods used in conducting the study . Lack of previous 

 information on the subject required lengthy preliminary vork for the 

 preparation of the research design, the intei-vlev schedules and the 

 formulation of a set of directives for a systematic study of the 

 insurance problem. The nature of the problem and the presence of 

 non- quantifiable factors, in the operational characteristics of the 

 fishing industry, the structure of the instirance market emd the exist- 

 ing legislation, made collection of Information from a variety of 

 sources imperative. 



The largest body of information was obtained by interviewing 

 personally the owners of a carefully selected sample of commercial 

 fishing vessels and by studying the insurance files of these sampled 

 vessels. A summary of sampling techniques appears in Appendix B. 



Statistical and other information concerning the commercial 

 fishing industry was collected from existing government eind private 

 publications. Actuarial statistics, whenever available, and other 

 data on Insurance experience were collected from leading insurance 

 firms and also from insurance agents and brokers in each of the three 

 geographical areas. Qualitative data were secured through informal 

 but systematic interviewing of leading vessel o\m.er8 in selected ports, 

 fishermen, mortgagee bsjilcs, and insurance people. Finally, a great 

 deal of unpublished material related to the subject \ras studied. 



Dravdng Information from all these sources increased the 

 thoroughness of our study by allo\ri.ng greater coverage and increased 

 the reliability of our findings by permitting comparison of data 

 from more than one source . 



k. Qualifications . In evaluating our findings, the reader 

 should keep in mind a number of qualifications: 



First, if a few gaps appear in the data (such sis gross receipts 

 from fish landings of the srznpled vessels, profit or loss and major 

 costs of operating a vessel, insurance experience of lawyers, etc.) 

 it is not because of lack of effort on our part, but in spite of it. 



Second, although no effort was spared in assuring the statistical 

 reliability of the samples, sampling error techniques in estimating 

 the response of the universe are of limited applicability and of much 

 less use in the analysis and Interpretation of data because of the 

 nature of the problem under study. The samples are representative 

 of the fishing industry but may not be considered to be probability 

 samples. 



16 



