According to a fishery group the two-day suspension was the first of its kind by the Japanese fishing industry. It is said that the protest was intended to raise public awareness of the problems caused by the rise of fuel prices. Akira Takahama from the National Federation of Squid Fishing Cooperative Association, informed that fuel costs are simply too high, and many squid fishermen are operating in the red. He further said that the price of fuel for squid vessels have gone more than 50 percent high from a year earlier.
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According to Takahama the business is severe due to rising fuel costs, and they want the public to know. It is fact that squid vessels consume a lot of fuel because fishermen use oil to light lamps on the ships to lure squid. Japan’s fishery agency said the protest would not likely impact squid prices. Fishery agency official Shinobu Nakai opined that since the suspension is only a two-day thing, we are not expecting any major impact on squid prices.
Global oil prices have been slashed to $133.43 per barrel last week in Asia after hitting a record $139.89 a barrel earlier in the month. Squid fishermen in Japan are facing huge loss due to sudden rise in the price of fuel but if it decreases they woule get some respite from the current heat of swelling fuel prices.
