NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— Everyone’s been talking about how the rise in gas prices is affecting drivers, but in Southeast, Louisiana fishermen are also getting hit hard.
Troy Williams and Darren Nicholas like to fish but the sharp rise in gas prices could put a damper on the amount of time they spend in the water.
Troy Williams, “After you spend that you might as well go to the grocery store to get your fish.”
And they’re not alone Mike Shaw owns small commercial oyster and shrimp boat and he says it will be nearly impossible to turn a profit on his diesel powered vessel.
Shaw stated, “My tank holds 500 gallons and it will be about $2500 worth of fuel to make a trip before I even make a penny so ain’t no way we’re going to be able to make it.”
One of the reasons fisherman and boater will be hurt is the price of non ethanol gas which many boaters use because it’s better on boat engines. At the Racetrac on Parish Rd., regular is $4.29 a gallon and ethanol free is a whopping $4.79.
What’s more is that the steep fuel costs will inevitably affect what we pay for seafood.
According to Eric Lentz, owner of Eddie Pinto’s Marina, “As far as shrimp season goes if the price of the shrimp at the dock don’t go up to match the price of fuel, the fishermen aren’t going to be shrimping and there’s gonna be a shrimp shortage.”
While the steep fuel prices aren’t stopping everyone from getting in the water, folks are being more careful about where they fish.
Recreational fisherman Derrick Bonano stated, “And this is a spot where the fishing’s very close. I would not go down to Lafitte and make the hour run down to the bay.”