May 1, 2026 — While marine diesel is often dyed red, many fishermen are singing the diesel blues as prices have topped $5.00 per gallon in many states. “Last week we were in the mid $4.00 range,” says Dan Eilertsen, who owns a fleet of scallop draggers fishing out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. “But our high was $5.30 a month ago. I heard the price was going down this week.”
For now, Eilertsen is letting the skippers of his vessels decide how to manage the rising cost of fishing. “Fortunately, catches are up, and scallop prices are ok, so the bottom line works even with higher fuel costs,” he says. “My captains are doing the math. Is it better to tow less and save fuel by loading up on smaller scallops that are lower price, which allows them to lay and cut? Or do they tow continuously for larger, more expensive scallops but pay more for fuel?”