Saturday, April 29, 2006

Rising diesel prices sinking fishing industry

Rising diesel prices are forcing fleets around the world to stay in port.

  • The Nation paper article “Fishing fleet left stranded” reports that 2,000 fishing trawlers operating in the Gulf of Thailand can’t afford to go fishing.
  • The Dominion Post article “Fuel rises sink NZ fleets” says that almost 90% of New Zealand’s national inshore fishing fleet of 1700 boats is up for sale. The diesel price has risen 316% since 1990.
  • The Japan Times reports in “Oil-price spikes hit deep-sea tuna fishing industry” quotes a fishing industry source’s forecast of an ‘avalanche of bankruptcies at tuna-fishing bases in Japan’.

Thoughts: Although tough on the fishing industry participants, high fuel prices could be great for already decimated ocean fishing stock. Fish may well become a luxury. It may even force Japan to reconsider it's 'scientific research' harpooning of southern ocean whales.

The convergence of global warming and accelerating fossil fuel prices mean it might be now time to dust off plans for sail-assisted fishing boats. Have a look at Yasuo Yoshimura’s short insight called “A Prospect for Sail-Assisted Fishing Boats”(PDF) for a short 4 page upload.

KEY WORDS: Peak oil; Fishing; Energy; Wind; Food

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