This questionnaire should only be completed by individuals aged 17+.

Jellyfish Survey

The Coastal and Marine Resources Centre in the University College Cork, in association with the Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit in NUI Galway are conducting a survey on water usage and jellyfish outbreaks. This year, the Lion’s Mane jellyfish has been particularly abundant. The Lion’s Mane is the most venomous jellyfish in the Irish Sea and a bad encounter with one can cause severe pain and weeping skin. In July, Clontarf Beach put up warning signs that it’s not safe to swim as Lion’s Mane had been sighted in the main bathing spot. Indeed, during the summer months many hundreds of persons may have been stung and tens of persons may have been hospitalised (in Dublin and east coast waters). In this survey, we would like to ask you about your jellyfish sting and how an outbreak might affect your use of this beach resource. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to answer.

Section A: Basic Trip Information

Firstly please indicate a single bathing area from the following list that you use most frequently. The rest of the questions in this section should then be answered in relation to your chosen bathing area.

Clontarf/Bull Wall/Dollymount Strand
Malahide/Portmarnock
Dundalk/Clogherhead
The 40Ft/Sandycove
Skerries
Other
If other, please specify bathing area below

Q1.

How far do you travel (one way) to get to this bathing area?
kms

How long did it take you to this bathing area?
Hours/Minutes

What was your mode of transport?

If you travelled to this bathing area by public transport how much was the fare? euros

Q2.

Approximately how long do you usually spend at THIS BATHING AREA in one visit? Hours/Minutes

Q3.

Which of the following ACTIVITIES have YOU personally done or expect to do during a visit to this bathing area?

Swimming	Relaxing/Sun bathing
Walking	Picnic / BBQ
Dog walking	Enjoying Scenery
Nature watching	Bringing children
Running	Other Water Sports
Wind Surfing	Other activities (specify)

Other activities (specify)

Which of these activities do you consider to be the main activity for YOUR last trip to this bathing area?

Q4.

How many trips have YOU personally made to this bathing area in the last 12 months?

Q5.

How many people over the age of 17 travelled with you in your vehicle on your last visit to this bathing area?

Q6.

What other bathing area would you go to most often to undertake your activities?
Location:

How far is this place from your home?
km

Q7.

How many times in the last 12 months have you visited this other place to undertake your activities?
trips

SECTION B: IMPACT OF A JELLYFISH OUTBREAK

Q8. a)

Suppose that next year, the Lion’s Mane jellyfish is found in such numbers at this bathing area that the probability of being stung while using this bathing resource is increased by 50%. How might this affect the number of trips you would take to this bathing area over the next 12 months? When answering this question, you should consider the number of trips that you made to this bathing area last year (i.e. the number of trips you stated in Q4 above.

No change in number of trips. (skip to next question)
Fewer trips (go to (b) then skip Q9)
More trips (go to (c))

b)

How many fewer trips would you take to this bathing resource?
fewer trips

c)

How many more trips would you take to this bathing resource?
more trips

9. a)

In the past 3 months have you been stung by a jellyfish while at this bathing area?
No (skip to question 10)
Yes (go to (b))

b)

How many times have you been stung by jellyfish over this period?
times

c)

On the last occasion you were stung, for how long did the pain of the sting last?
Hours/Minutes

d)

Did you apply any first aid treatment?
No (skip to next question)
Yes (go to (b))

If yes please indicate which treatment (e.g. Vinegar, urine, burngel, topical cream, antihistamine, other)

If No skip to Q9 (e)

e)

Did this sting require medical attention?
No
Self Medicated
Visited GP
Visited hospital

f)

How soon did you re-enter the water after being stung?
Straight Away
1 day after
2 Days after
3 Days after
More than 3 Days after
Have not re-entered

g)

Do you take any precautions to protect from jellyfish stings?
No
Wear a wet suit
Wear a stinger suit
Apply ‘Safe-sea’ lotion
Other

h)

What were the costs imposed on you as a direct result of this jelly fish sting?

First aid cost, i.e. use of topical cream, antihistamines or burn-gel
euros
More serious medical costs recommended by GP or pharmacists
euros
GP or Hospital Fees
euros
Bandages or Dressings
euros
Other
euros

i)

Did you lose any sleep because of the jellyfish sting?
No
Yes

If yes, how many hours?
hours

j)

Did you lose any hours of work as a result of the sting?
No
Yes

If yes, how many hours?
hours

k)

Were you able to identify the species of jellyfish that stung you?
No
Yes

If yes, what was it's Type or Description

l)

Would a ‘jellyfish warning sign’ discourage your from swimming at this beach?
No
Yes

m)

Would you like to see a ‘jellyfish net/barrier’ put in place at this bathing area when jellyfish are really abundant?
No
Yes

n)

How many more trips would you take to this bathing area in the next 12 months if you were confident that a ‘jellyfish net/barrier’ would be put in place here when jellyfish numbers are really abundant?
more trips

SECTION C: DEMOGRAPHICS

The following information will help us better understand how household characteristics influence an individual’s use of this bathing resource. All of your answers are strictly confidential. The information will only be used to report comparisons among groups of people. We will never identify individuals or households with their responses.

Q10.

Gender
Male
Female

Q11.

Age:
17 – 24
25 – 34
35 – 44
45 – 59
60 +

Q12.

What is your marital status?
Married
Single
Other

Q13.

What is your highest level of educational achievement?
Degree or degree equivalent and above
Leaving Certificate, or equivalent and above
Junior Certificate, or equivalent
None of the above

Q14.

Employment Status
Full time (30+ hrs / week)
Part time (Less than 30 hrs / week)
Retired
Student
Looking after family / home
Sick / disabled
Unemployed
Other

Q15.

Which of the following income groups best represents your approximate income before tax?
Less than €10,000
€10,000 - €19,999
€20,000 - €29,999
€30,000 - €39,999
€40,000 - €49,999
€50,000 - € 59,999
€60,000 - €69,999
€70,000 - €79,999
€80,000 - €89,999
€90,000 - €99,999
€100,000 and over

Q16.

Are you a member of any sport, recreation or environmental organisations?
No
Yes

If yes, please name the organisation

Do you have any other comments?

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