Author Topic: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests  (Read 3378 times)

Offline Captain Dave Wittenborn

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Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« on: June 23, 2008, 07:47:36 AM »
By Kirk Moore • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • June 21, 2008

POINT PLEASANT — On the fuel dock at Clark's Landing Marina, the pump numbers whirled as the crew of the Lady Jane took on 250 gallons of diesel at $4.57 a gallon, preparing to chase sharks offshore in the annual Mako Mania tournament.

"A lot of people aren't even putting their boats in the water this year," said fisherman Bill Tallman of Waretown. To make the most of their fuel bill, the Lady Jane anglers said they had entered in not one but two shark tournaments this weekend.

"It's expensive," said boat owner Mark Grek of Blackwood, "but you've got to have fun."

Fuel costs are hitting marine interests hard, magnifying the effects of tightened fishing regulations.

"Fuel was never a significant part of our business until the last couple of years. It was just a cost that went up and down, like bait, and you dealt with it. Now it's the most significant cost of our business," said John Williams of Brielle, a 25-year charter captain on the Manasquan River.

"It's been devastating, up and down the river," said Peter Grimbilas of the Greater Point Pleasant Charter Boat Association. "They are way down in the number of charters."

A trip 80 miles east to the Hudson Canyon — an undersea gorge that harbors tuna and marlin — costs an additional $1,000 to $1,500 now for fuel costs compared with last year, Grimbilas estimated.

"It can cost $5,000 now for a canyon trip, not including some of the extras like tips" for the crew, he said.

Tough to book trips

It's difficult for captains who book trips far in advance, said Ron Braen, who runs the Miss Michele III out of Point Pleasant Beach and often takes corporate and institutional charter groups of 10 to 60.

"I'm stuck, because my pricing went out in December. I'm booked from January and February with contracts. Now fuel has shot up. The only place it comes from is my pocket," he said.

"It's become so restrictive that some captains are not going as far to fish," Grimbilas said.

Charter captains are among recreational groups pressing the state to make all its artificial reefs off-limits to commercial fishing traps, and the fuel crisis "is one reason why these reefs are so important to us," he said.

Higher than gasoline

Both road and marine diesel prices are substantially higher than gasoline because of global demand, and it's likely diesel will remain 40 cents to 70 cents more expensive per gallon through 2009, said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service in Wall.

"It has to do with the global situation, the perception that diesel is the growth product," said Kloza, who tracks petroleum market trends. "We import a lot of gasoline, but we've been a consistent exporter" of diesel.

"We've cut our own gasoline consumption to where we use one out of every five gallons," but Europe's vehicle fleet is now about 55 percent diesel, and growing markets such as South America pay $4.50 wholesale for diesel, a 20-cent premium over North American wholesale prices, Kloza said.

So that higher diesel price compared to gasoline "isn't an aberration," he said. "I look forward through 2009, and it's pretty much a relationship."

More anchoring out

"People are still going out. They're not running (under way) as much. They're anchoring out," said Michael Longhi, business manager at Clark's Landing. "They're going to F Cove (near the former Trader's Cove Marina in Brick) or Treasure Island" in the Manasquan, Longhi said.

"There's a lot of people running closer distances. When the weather forecasts are a little marginal, they're staying home. You try to make every day count," said Doug Thorsen of Lebanon Township, as he prepared fishing rods on his boat Luhred Offshore.

"It's a great pastime, especially for families. It's an expensive hobby to begin with. But when it becomes unaffordable and they can't pay their bills, what are they going to do?" Thorsen said. "We've been through these fuel crunches before. We can only hope this one works out."

Crippling the industry

"Fuel is absolutely crippling the industry. It's affecting both at the retail sales levels, and by forcing people to back off on fishing," said James Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, an advocacy group for anglers and support businesses. "We're appealing to the U.S. Congress to get things fixed. . . . This is the greatest national resource crisis yet of our century."

There's a danger that prolonged high fuel costs could permanently downsize the American boatbuilding industry, Donofrio said. Last year, Connecticut-based Albin Marine, a century-old manufacturer of popular mid-sized fishing and cruising boats, closed its Rhode Island production facility, citing the faltering economy and rising oil prices, and sold its land to developers.

"They're doing layoffs, they're shutting boatbuilding down," Donofrio said of the industry. "It's one of the few American industries that hasn't been outsourced or offshored to Asia. But if these companies have to shut down now because of high petroleum prices, it's likely you will see that manufacturing re-emerge in another part of the world."

Worse in Florida

While times are getting tough in New Jersey, "it's worse in Florida," said Williams, who runs charters there for three months every winter. Typically he will book 35 Florida trips, but Williams said he got only 10 last season.

"South coast Florida is in a deep, deep recession," he said. "One charter captain had to sell his boat to get his daughter into college."

Grimbilas said the smaller-than-usual crowd at Clark's Friday evening was another sign of those mounting costs.

"A good barometer will be tonight," Grimbilas said, as shark hunters prepared for their captains' meeting. "Last year we sold out at 300 boats. Figure the average is five fishermen per boat; that's 1,500 people we brought down for the weekend. Our gut feeling is it will be off about 20 percent, based on what we've heard from other tournaments."

 


Offline Capt. Mike

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2008, 09:08:42 AM »
We need the boys from MIT to give us a cheap conversion to our existing motors to burn another fuel. Water would be great, turn salt water or fresh water into a fuel. Then big oil and our government can kiss our a$$, no more pork chop being waved in our face...


Offline Luna Sea 5

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2008, 09:19:19 AM »
pain.. it hurts
Fish out of Toms River NJ.
Call Nick for open boat, 973-417-5756, or on Channel 68.

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Offline Uncle Luna

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2008, 09:24:33 AM »
Just another thorn in the side of the little man
who's looking for some fishing time.
Member Team Luna Sea 4


Offline Still Running

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2008, 09:32:41 AM »
It's hurting everyone and it's BS.
I heard Exxon is closing all stations, no money in retail. But look at there profits.
Fishing Sandy Hook and anywhere I can get on a boat.




My biggest fear is when I die my wife sells all of my fishing tackle for what she thinks I paid for it!
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Offline mboy

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2008, 09:39:04 AM »
It's hurting everyone and it's BS.
I heard Exxon is closing all stations, no money in retail. But look at there profits.

Not exactly.
They are selling off the company owned Exxon stations (a small % of all Exxon Stations).

A majority are owned by the brand distributorships.

Offline bassnblues

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2008, 10:20:20 AM »
Get used to it...the Dem's won't do anything because of the environmental crowd and the Rep's won't interfere with business or investors...


Offline IrishAyes

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2008, 11:29:47 AM »
Gasoline at the Belmar Municipal Dock was $4.12 last week. Today it was $4.31. Deisel was $4.56 if I remember right.  :P
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May the holes in your net be no larger than the fish in it.  ~Irish Blessing

Offline Still Running

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2008, 12:25:28 PM »
Does anyone know if the diesel at the dock is off road fuel (none taxed)? On the street it about $0.50 higher
Fishing Sandy Hook and anywhere I can get on a boat.




My biggest fear is when I die my wife sells all of my fishing tackle for what she thinks I paid for it!
Www.HNCTruckParts.com


Offline mboy

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2008, 12:35:51 PM »
Gasoline at the Belmar Municipal Dock was $4.12 last week. Today it was $4.31. Deisel was $4.56 if I remember right.  :P

I would figure Diesel was more like $5.56 at marina.

I imagine it would be taxed even higher then road fuel in NJ.= (like regular gas is).

Offline Still Running

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2008, 12:50:29 PM »
I would think so also. The pice I saw on the news this week showed something like 4.56 for diesel at Clarks Landing
Fishing Sandy Hook and anywhere I can get on a boat.




My biggest fear is when I die my wife sells all of my fishing tackle for what she thinks I paid for it!
Www.HNCTruckParts.com

Offline IrishAyes

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2008, 02:47:48 PM »
It seems to me the deisel is cheaper at the docks than on the road. Don't know why this is.  5hrug

Captain Joe of the Irish Ayes

May the holes in your net be no larger than the fish in it.  ~Irish Blessing

Offline mgm

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2008, 07:02:19 PM »
It seems to me the deisel is cheaper at the docks than on the road. Don't know why this is.  5hrug



Capt I fish with out of Seawaren said that road tax is not charged for marine diesel....it also has a dye in it so road guys won't buy it....unless they don't get caught.
" The press should be not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, but also a collective organizer of the masses. "

Offline Still Running

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Re: Rising fuel costs hurting all marine interests
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2008, 07:25:17 PM »
It seems to me the deisel is cheaper at the docks than on the road. Don't know why this is.  5hrug



Capt I fish with out of Seawaren said that road tax is not charged for marine diesel....it also has a dye in it so road guys won't buy it....unless they don't get caught.

The dyed fuel is off road and home heating fuel, None taxed.
Fishing Sandy Hook and anywhere I can get on a boat.




My biggest fear is when I die my wife sells all of my fishing tackle for what she thinks I paid for it!
Www.HNCTruckParts.com

 

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