Fishermen angry over high gas price

FISHERMEN in Tobago are upset over the high cost of the new unleaded gas for their engines. President of the South West Fishing Association, Danny Melville, says fishermen are being ripped off because they are operating at a loss when they compare the distance they have to travel to get gas and the price of their catch when they return from sea.

According to Melville, the average fishing boat covers two miles per gallon of gasoline, which cost $TT15 per gallon, plus the cost of oil to mix. He said that the price of the catch may have to be increased. He said at present, fish costs $10 per pound on the beach and this is too high for poor people to buy fish at this price. “What about the people who bought the fish to go and make a profit off of it?” queried Melville. “How much will they sell it for?”

The price, he said, cannot be helped because fishermen put out a lot of money to go out to sea. He said at present they do not know how to solve the problem. In direct response to the fishermen’s concern, Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London said that a new type of fuel is being put in place for the fishermen. He pointed out that a new type of gas called unleaded 83 may soon be available in Tobago at the same price as regular gasoline. He stated that it would have a very positive impact on the fishing industry since fuel is one of the major costs in the fishing industry.