Rise in fuel price ‘devastating’
FISHERMEN around the country are devastated with the increase in fuel prices as expenses outweigh profits.
Shailendra Kumar of Wainibokasi, Nausori said he had been fishing for eight years and factors such as fluctuation of fuel prices and bad weather conditions had affected his livelihood.
“Before we could travel on two fills of full tank but now we have to take three fills to be able to travel out to sea and back home,” the 50-year-old said.
He said compared with five years ago expenditures had now doubled and each trip made was a loss.
“Now the price of fuel has increased too much because before we used to pay $50 for a gallon and now we have to spend more than $300 for a single trip.
“Our trips are as such that if we go out on Monday we return back on Friday and sometimes we just spend three nights out at sea.
“We go as far as Leleuvia and Levuka because that’s where our fishing ground is and we have our licence to catch there.
“We have all sorts of expenses besides fuel such as ice and even basic food items have increased which makes it even worse as those are items we have to take with us on our trips.”
Mr Kumar said the loss is inevitable as he could not increase the price of fish because the middlemen would refuse to purchase from him.
“We can catch about $500 worth of fish and from that over $350 goes to expenses and labour, so what really can I take home?”
Middleman Rota Waqa said $20-$25 was the normal price of fish purchased from fishermen and if they intended to increase the price of the fish then it all depended on the type of fish it was.
“That’s just the normal price for us, they can’t increase the price and if they want to increase it, they can sell it themselves or find someone else to sell it to.”
Meanwhile Atalini Babiau from Lokia shared similar views as Mr Kumar.
“Before the increase we were already facing hardships and now that they have increased fuel prices it’s even worse,” he said.
“When I fill up the 25 litre tank to take down the river and out to the sea, I use up half of the tank before I even reach my fishing spot. “Sometimes it affects my savings which makes it difficult to provide for my family.
“All the things we used to buy before, we will now have to go without them.”
Mr Abhay Kumar from Naitata, Navua, who has been fishing for 40 years said the change in prices were beyond the control of the people as it was not a local commodity.
He said $30 was spent on fuel every day and it all depended on luck if he got $50- $100 worth of fish in a single trip.
“We will start fishing from this side of the river all the way to Pacific Harbour and other nearby areas,” he said.
“We even have other expenses like when the net goes old we have to buy a new one and the same goes for our boat; if our boat lasts two years then we get another new boat.”