Songkhla: Fishing boats in Songkhla province are preparing to dock as the price of green fuel surges, potentially impacting seafood prices. Fishing boats are gradually returning to shore, preparing to temporarily halt fishing activities due to the continuously rising price of fuel. This has increased operating costs and is expected to lead to higher prices for seafood. Discussions are underway with the government regarding measures to stabilize fuel prices.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suradech Nilubon, president of the Songkhla Fisheries Association, revealed that fishing boat operators who are members of the association have been gradually bringing their boats back to shore after their fuel supplies are running low. They have indicated that they may not go out fishing again due to the significant increase in the price of fuel, resulting in a substantial increase in fishing costs.
The price of fuel that operators filled up their tanks with 10-15 days ago was approximately 18-20 baht per liter. Currently, the price of fuel at the depot is 39.39 baht per liter, reflecting the rapid increase in fuel costs in a short period of time.
Mr. Suradech added that the main cost of fishing comes from fuel. When fuel prices rise while the price of seafood at the dock remains unchanged, operators cannot absorb the increased costs. In addition, there are limitations in accessing fuel. Another significant cost is crew wages, which must be paid according to labor laws, even if the ship is not at sea.
Meanwhile, the fishing sector also faces pressure from other factors, including competition from imported fishery products from neighboring countries. Therefore, if operators decide to moor their boats, they may need to lay off workers, which will inevitably affect the supply and prices of seafood in the market.
Reporters say that the decision to moor boats may occur in several coastal provinces due to the soaring price of fuel. As a result, the Thai Fisheries Association, led by its president, Mr. Trairerk Musanthad, is preparing to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, this afternoon to propose urgent assistance measures.
Key issues that the association plans to propose include: requesting the government to cap the price of green petroleum fuel at no more than 30 baht per liter using the Fuel Fund or related funds; requesting a 5 baht per liter reduction in the refining cost of green petroleum fuel; and allowing the import of fuel from abroad for use in the fishing sector.
Furthermore, it was proposed that both commercial and artisanal fishing vessels have access to fuel at reasonable prices, and urgent cost-saving measures were requested to help operators survive during the volatile global energy situation. The Thai Fisheries Association estimates that there are currently over 6,000 fishing vessels using a combined total of tens of millions of liters of fuel per month. If fuel costs cannot be controlled, it could have a widespread impact on production, employment, and the prices of seafood in the country.