Fishing industry reeling from leaping fuel prices

[marmar]

AP, via Yahoo!:



Fishing industry reeling from leaping fuel prices
Thursday June 26, 4:59 pm ET
By Steve Quinn, Associated Press Writer


JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- Leaping fuel prices are sinking the fortunes of America's commercial fishermen, some of whom may soon call it quits for good.

In Alaska, boats that typically haul in rockfish and perch sit docked for prolonged periods. In Texas, shrimpers are traveling to Mexico just to buy cheaper diesel. And along the East Coast, lobstermen are making fewer trips to their traps.

Unlike shippers, commercial airlines and other industries that pass higher fuel costs along to customers, fishermen don't have the same flexibility. Not only does fresh fish have a short shelf life, but U.S. families can easily substitute their diets with less expensive chicken, pork and beef -- even at time when the cost of meat is on the rise.

"Fishermen can't come in and say, 'My costs just went up, so you're going to have to pay me more,'" said Bill Adler, executive director for the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association. Instead, the dealer offers a price and it's "take it or leave it. He knows you got a product that has to be alive. He knows you've got to get rid of them."

U.S. fishermen have in recent years faced increasing pressure to keep prices down because of low-cost imports and farmed fish. The 64 percent rise in the cost of diesel over the past year -- with spikes of as much as 75 percent in some parts of Alaska -- means already-tight profit margins are being stretched even further, leaving less take-home pay for captains and crews.

"It's as bad as I've ever seen, and I've been at it 45 years," said Jimmie Ruhle, president of the trade group Commercial Fishermen of America and a third generation fisherman out of Wanchese, N.C.

No one is predicting an industry collapse just yet, but fishermen and seafood economists say conditions have deteriorated to the point where some captains are considering leaving the business. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080626/fishing_fuel_prices.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. The rotten catch of republiconomics oil profiteering

[marmar]

3. I'd throw it back......

:)

[colt equalizer]

5. OK, Rep profiteering, but then tell these people no to oil drilling and see who they vote for. NT

[skooooo]

2. What the hell are we going to eat?

The tomatoes are bad.
The beef has ecoli.
Everything else is going to go up in price for a multitude of reasons. It's like the perfect storm.

[TheFarseer]

4. what happened to sail boats?

I wonder if sailing ships will ever make a comeback because of an energy crisis.

[Monk06]

6. I think the return to sail and dory fishing is inevitable for small scale fishermen.