Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance: Fishermen propose solutions to high fuel prices
Fishermen gather at the Fishermen’s Alliance to talk about high fuel prices.
By Doreen Leggett
Andrew Spalt has been paying about $1.50 more a gallon for fuel since April, about $40,000 a vessel, more than $100,000 across his three boats.
“You have to go fishing; you can’t really negotiate the price. It just hurts more,” said Spalt, working on his boats in New Bedford on a June day.
Spalt, a member of the Fishermen’s Alliance, zoomed into “Fueling the Future of Fisheries,” an informal discussion about high fuel prices plaguing the industry, held at the non-profit’s office in Chatham.
“I wanted to listen and hear about ideas that could possibly help the fleet,” Spalt said. “More information gathering.”
The meeting, organized by Sarah Schumann and Dean Karoblis, fishermen and members of the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign, brought together fishermen from Provincetown to Sandwich, ranging in ages from 18 to 83 and participating in a variety of fisheries including gillnetting and lobstering.
