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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 11
July 2008
High fuel costs, low fish prices bench RI lobstermen, draggers
POINT JUDITH, RI – On a recent June day, the skies were clear, the sea was flat calm, and the forecast was looking good. One would think it was a perfect day for fishing in Narragansett Bay. Yet, the lobster fleet was in port. It was Monday morning at 7 am, and not a boat had left its slip.
This was becoming a common scenario in harbors throughout the state. According to fishermen, most of whom preferred to remain anonymous, they can no longer afford to go fishing.
Many of the boats are in port because the guys are out doing other things to support their families and try to make boat payments, according to Newport lobsterman Lanny Dellinger, president of the Rhode Island Lobstermen’s Association.
Many boats are listed with brokers for sale and don’t show a “for sale” placard in the window.
“If we put a sign on every boat that’s for sale, the place would look like a used boat lot,” said one fisherman.
Another fisherman said his boat has been for sale for months at well below its appraised value, and he hasn’t gotten one inquiry. That was a clear sign of what a lot people observed – the fishing boat market in Rhode Island is soft right now.
“If the bank wants to sell my boat, they can have it,” said a fisherman. “I don’t have the money to make the payments. I’m four months behind. My family needs the little I make to put food on the table.”
Added the man standing beside him, “I’m in the same position.”
High costs
The story is ominous for many Rhode Island fishermen these days. The cost of fuel is paralyzing. The price of fish has gone down, and the cost of operating has skyrocketed.
Joel Hovanesian, a veteran draggerman, said, “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it. My fuel bill for 10 days at sea was $16,000, almost double what I paid at the same time last year. The profit for the trip was less than 50% of what it should be.”
Hovanesian and most fishermen who were willing to talk about it agreed. The regulations, cost of fuel, and the dwindling prices of fish are driving them out of business.
A local fish retailer said, “People can’t afford seafood. It’s a luxury. We have to charge high prices to make up for the losses. We advertise fresh seafood. It doesn’t stay fresh forever. I’m tired of throwing away my profit.”
Heavy regs
Hovanesian urged the government to relax a few of the regulations that now have a stranglehold on the fishermen.
“Make it a little easier on us,” he said. “I caught 10,000 pounds of cod in two days. Yet I had to stay out for 10 days because I’m only allowed 1,000 pounds of cod per day-at-sea. I stopped taking cod and fished for other things.”
He said they had to throw cod back, and emphasized that they don’t go back alive.
“It’s not right,” he said. “It’s immoral to waste perfectly good fish like that.”
Lanny Dellinger said that most of the lobster boats are going out less and pulling more gear per trip.
“We’re economizing everywhere we can, but I don’t know how long we can keep it up and stay in business. The price of bait has gone way up as well as the cost of fuel.”
Sam Bari
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