As the weather is improving in the area 34 and the lobster fishing has started with gale but the growing fuel costs forced the fishermen to put off their nets. They are considering possible loss as they aren’t sure if they can keep making payments on their catches. Carmen Burnie, a fisherman, said that the area lobstermen are performing a balancing act, trying to fish enough to make a living but not so much that fuel costs wipe them out.
Fuel costs persuaded most of the fishermen to switch their fishing effort to a smaller boat, but even that didn’t save enough and they have scaled back fishing effort. Burnies told that there are two weeks left in the season and we should be fishing every day. We’re only going out every four or five days because we can’t afford the fuel.
The fishermen are convinced government has to give fishermen some fuel price relief – the same kind of fuel subsidy extended earlier this year to farmers. The price of lobster has not much improved; it is only fetching about $5 a pound, about the same price lobstermen were getting a decade ago. Then there are other costs, including fees at the now community-owned wharf, have risen. Those who purchased expensive licences and larger boats because of an ability to fish further offshore and in heavier conditions are among those hardest hit by the rapidly rising fuel costs and stagnant price for lobster.
