Fuel Price Impacts on Commercial Fishing
The Commercial Fisheries Center of RI is collecting information about the impacts of high fuel prices to be better able to communicate how the industry is being affected to policymakers. The goal is to be able to quantify exactly how bad the situation is to those who are unfamiliar with fishing as a business and provide arguments to those advocating for relief of various kinds. Your responses will be kept anonymous unless you indicate otherwise.

This survey should take just a few minutes- thank you for your participation! 

Background: On October 19th, Trump Administration announced $8 billion in funding through USDA's Harvest Fuel Relief program to provide one-time financial assistance to farmers and fishermen to help offset soaring diesel and fertilizer costs during the 2026 production year. The program will help eligible producers cover a portion of their estimated losses, with payment amounts calculated using a standard formula. Details for fishermen will be announced later.

What You Can Do Now: USDA is encouraging fishermen to submit information documenting increased fuel costs to HarvestFuel@usda.gov. We encourage members to gather fuel receipts, invoices, or other records showing how fuel costs have increased over time. Where possible, provide comparisons between 2026 and prior years. USDA will consider this information when determining payment rates for fishermen.

Preparing to Apply: USDA also encourages producers to create a Login.gov account and link it to USDA in advance of the application period. Eligibility requirements, payment amounts, and application timelines for fishermen have not yet been announced.

We are asking for information so that we can collate and inform USDA, but this is separate from what you, as an individual fishermen, will need to do to apply for relief! Stay tuned on that process!

We will continue to monitor and share updates as appropriate. Here is the USDA press release. 
Here is a great blog post by Sarah Schumann: "The USDA's Harvest Fuel Relief program: What we know so far"
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First name *
Last name: *
Email *
Phone number
What fisheries do you participate in? *
Where is your homeport located? *
Is fishing your primary source of income?  *
What gear types do you use?
How far offshore do you typically travel? *
How many people total work on your vessel? 
What is the length and beam of your primary vessel? *
Does your primary vessel run on gas or diesel? *
Roughly what was the typical price for a gallon of fuel you purchased for your vessel since March 2026? *
What was the typical price for a gallon of fuel in the years 2023-2025?
As a rough estimate, what % of your gross vessel revenue have you spent on fuel since March 2026?
Across the years 2023-2025, what was the typical % of your gross vessel revenue you spent on fuel?
On a scale of 1-10, how worried are you about the impact of high fuel prices on your profitability as a fisherman? *
not worried at all
extremely worried
Have you modified your fishing since March 2026 to compensate for increased fuel prices? *
If yes, what have you changed and has it been successful?
Have you modified your fishing in any of these ways to compensate for increased fuel prices?
 *
Have you changed anything on your vessel since March 2026 in response to high fuel prices? (eg, better hull cleaning, newer engine, different refrigeration etc.) *
If yes, what changes have you made to your engine/vessel? Please be as specific as possible
Have you changed anything about the gear you are fishing since March 2026 in response to the high fuel prices? (eg more efficient trawls). *
If yes, what gear-related factors have you changed?  Please be as specific as possible.
Are there any fuel-saving steps that you would LIKE to be able to implement on your vessel, gear, or fishing activities that you have been UNABLE to implement because of their costs or some other reason?  *
If yes, what are the steps you would like to implement, and what are the factors that are preventing you from doing so (e.g., cost or other factors)?
Would you be interested in teaming up with your fellow fishermen to explore avenues to increase federal and state support for fishing vessel energy resilience, innovation, efficiency, and relief? *
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