BRIEFS. fishing

Shrimpers’ livelihood is on the line

LA PRENSA

Setting sail: Around 100 shrimp boats head out from Vacamonte at the beginning of the open season. 1010828

After a 70-day suspension of fishing, a few hundred shrimp boats set sail from the port of Vacamonte today, not knowing whether they would find enough crustaceans to cover their costs, not least of all the diesel fuel used by marine vessels. Shrimping season was closed from February 1 until April 11. Open season now extends until September 1.

Given the current price of diesel, around $3.68 a gallon, operating costs in the shrimping industry are extraordinarlily high.

A ship carrying an average of 2,500 gallons of diesel incurs an expense of $9,200 before it picks up a single shrimp. Add to that the cost of the crew’s wages and food and a shrimp boat owner's minimal initial expenses come to around $14,000. If his boat returns with $15,000 worth of shrimp, assuming he has no other expenses, which is doubtful, then he makes $1,000. That's virtually nothing, said one Vacamonte businessman.

And if the business people are concerned, imagine how the shrimpers must feel. They're facing unemployment and few prospects for a new job.