With fuel duty soaring, the future of Fife’s lifeblood village fishing industry is on the line, senior figures in the sector have warned.
Meanwhile, an Angus fishing tour operator claimed rising fuel prices have forced an extra £1 on to the cost of every expedition.
Inchcape Marine Services co-owner, Alex Smith (pictured below), said the price of red diesel used in the engines of his three boats had risen by more than a quarter in the last year.
In addition to leisure excursions for sea anglers, the firm provides commercial safety and work boat contracts and organises sight-seeing trips for tourists.
Just as the haulage industry has had to pass their outgoings on to the end consumer, Mr Smith has had no option but to put up the price of a day’s fishing, and is worried that parties already paying out for vehicle fuel may find the additional costs prohibitive.
He said, “The rise in fuel prices definitely affects us because a lot of our prices are already set. The amount we pay on our red diesel has gone up by 25-30% and we are having to bear the brunt of the costs just now.
“The problem with having our prices set is that there is folk phoning all the time to book in for trips. We have put some of the fishing trips up by a £1 across the board for the coming season to try to cover the fuel rise.”
Fishing trips typically take three to six hours and can be arranged for groups of up to 20 anglers, with prices now ranging from £13 to £26 with rod and bait supplied.
Mr Smith said, “People are not always happy about paying more because they have had to pay out extra fuel themselves just to get here, but we can’t help that prices are going up and they have to be offset somehow.”
“It is the fishing boats that will be worse hit because their fuel bill will be much higher than mine,” he continued. “Just now we are using around 600 to 800 gallons of diesel a week, but it varies depending how busy we are.”If you want to support the Courier’s call for a fuel duty regulator, click here to add your name to our petition.Although marine fuel is not as heavily taxed as forecourt petrol, the rises are hitting fishermen hard.
Bill Hughes, manager of the Fishermen’s Mutual Association in Pitenweem, has been involved in the industry for more than four decades. He admitted the future could be bleak if the government fails to take action.
Talking to The Courier, he outlined his support for our campaign to secure a cut in fuel duty.
Mr Hughes is in no doubt that jobs are on the line.
“There is a big difference between the duty paid for marine oil and the duty paid at the pumps, but it still has a huge impact,” he said.
“Oil prices are rising almost daily it runs the risk of killing the village fishing industry. This problem doesn’t just affect Pittenweem, but also places like Arbroath.
“From Angus to Berwick the cost of fuel is totally unacceptable when looked at alongside the price fishermen get for their catches.”
Mr Hughes believes the potent, twin-pronged problem of the global economic downturn and rising fuel prices could spell disaster.
“Fishermen are paying a 2011 price for fuel but not receiving a 2011 price for their product. If they do not get the appropriate rate for their catch, then they will inevitably struggle to meet rising fuel costs.
“There is absolutely no doubt that jobs within the village fishing industry are at risk,” he continued. “This industry has been going locally for 900 years it would be a sad day if the price of fuel threatened its future.”
The cost of getting fish to the marketplace is also a concern, as van drivers face record prices at the pumps.
Despite all the problems, Mr Hughes insists a bright future is possible but only if the government acts on demands for a fuel duty regulator.
“I totally support The Courier’s campaign,” he added. “If policy makers take appropriate, sensible action then we can survive.”