Assessing the relative importance of recall bias and nonresponse bias and adjusting for those biases in statewide angler surveys

Abstract

Accurate information about angler effort and expenditures, obtained at a reasonable cost, is very important to fisheries managers and planners. Several sources of systematic bias in measurement can affect estimates of participation. We used regression analysis to examine nonresponse and recall bias. We compared respondents’ estimates of days fished based on a 12‐month‐recall mail survey, its nonrespondent phone follow‐up, and a quarterly phone survey and found that both nonresponse and recall bias significantly and almost equally influenced estimates of days fished. We calculated a combined recall and nonresponse bias correction factor of 29% for deriving estimates of days fished based on the 12‐month‐recall mail questionnaire. Further work is needed to ascertain the generalizability of this correction factor.