Massachusetts lobstermen back in water facing new challenges
(The Center Square) – Lobstermen in Massachusetts are back in the water and facing a variety of challenges.
Fishermen were grounded due to right whale protections. The battle now is a combination of high fuel costs and lower prices at fisheries, raising the cost of fishing operations.
“If the fuel price doesn’t get lower and the price of lobster doesn’t get into a stable – I’m not even going to say high price but a stable price – things are going to be tough,” Angela Sanfilippo, executive director of the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, told The Center Square.
Over a span of three months earlier this year, right whale protections required lobstermen to remove all pots from much of the waters off Massachusetts because they pose a threat to whales passing through. Sanfilippo said lobstermen didn’t get their pots back in until mid-June, noting the process takes a while and that leaving machinery dormant for months causes all sorts of mechanical problems.
The market disruption caused prices to rise, Sanfilippo said.
“You know this is the life of fishermen no matter what – lobstermen, groundfish-men, tuna fishermen – you never know what you’re going to get paid and just because the price is cheap, you don’t stop fishing,” Sanfilippo said.
Sanfilippo tells of one lobsterman paying $6.50 a gallon for fuel on a boat that burns 1,000 gallons a day operating.
“I hope they don’t go under, but when you don’t have anything left at the end of the day because of the price of fuel – it doesn’t take too many days like that before people will not be able to make a living anymore,” she said.
Sanfilippo pointed out prices for bait were high in June; they’ve since come back down.
Canadian supply is also impacting the market. Sanfilippo wants consumers to understand the market forces at play and buy local.
“The public can do a lot for the fishermen,” she said. “Consume local seafood – that would be a big help.”
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