Cost of the Catch: Fishing and Fossil Fuel

Since the beginning of my fathers conch history, eight years ago, the price on average of conch has increased from $.80 a lb to $1.20 while the price of fuel has more than doubled.

Ben Hopkins
MVRHS Senior

Rising fuel prices could bring an end to the centuries old Martha’s Vineyard fishing fleet. Since the days of whaling Martha’s Vineyard has had a rich history of commercial fishing, however the continuing price increase of diesel fuel has endangered the industry and tradition. My father, Sam Hopkins, has been a commercial fisherman for many years and while being part of many different fisheries over the course of his life the last eight have been on Martha’s Vineyard as a conch fisherman. The Conch or Channel Welch fishery is one of the largest on Martha’s Vineyard. However this large landing industry will not exist as prices continue to rise.

Since the beginning of my fathers conch history, eight years ago, the price on average of conch has increased from $.80 a lb to $1.20 while the price of fuel has more than doubled. “No, the price increase of conch has not compensated for change in fuel prices,” said my father. This increase in the price of fuel has significantly decreased the window of profitability for commercial fishing. Also due to the heavy regulation of the fishery the fishermen cannot haul more gear to offset the fuel price jump.

Due to the horsepower intensive nature of commercial fishing finding ways of running your vessel efficiently has become more important as prices rise. When running the Lugger at maximum rpm it will burn 20 gallons of diesel per hour while riding it at 1600 rpm will bring the GPH (Gallons per Hour) down to 14. “I only run her at two thirds power,” said my father about his 410 horsepower Lugger diesel engine. Due to the increase of speed compared to the great increase of fuel consumption at higher rpm it makes sense in the wallet to run her easier. On average my father burns 45 gallons of fuel a day at a price of about $200. The more than doubling of diesel prices has already put some inefficiently powered vessels out of business and if the price doubles again as the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce projected it might most of the fleet will be tied up for good by 2012. One such vessel already out of work was one powered by a gasoline engine on the Cape and due to its high consumption mixed with the large increase in gas prices it became impossible to continue running the vessel. This significant increase in his fuel bill has teamed with another cost that is continuing to rise.

Conch fishing unlike other pot fisheries off the Island has high upkeep costs due to the expensive pots, bait and labor. “From my first year of conch fishing to now bait has increased from 16$ to 24$ a bag,” explained my father about his expenses. In one day depending on the amount of horseshoe crab put in the pots my father can go through nearly 200$ worth of bait. Along with bait the last daily expense of a fishing boat is the labor. The stern man must draw in a living wage also which due to its dependence on the catch and the significantly lower catch this year averages around 175$ to 200$ a day.

If fuel prices were to double, after an average day of fishing my dad would only bring in $160 a day withholding upkeep costs which for a family of five is not a living wage. For fisherman, jobs on land may become the only option if the expenses continue to rise on the water.

See the Gazette's Story on Jonathan Mayhew >
WCAI Interview with Mayhew >
NPR on Maine Fisheries
NewsHour: Tuna and the Pacific Northwest >