August 12, 2026 — The 2026 commercial albacore tuna season is off to a limping start, beleaguered by high fuel prices, sporadic fishing and fewer fishermen.
“Our expenses have gone up over 30% overall,” said commercial fisherman Kris Griffith, 41. “It’s been a struggle to figure out how we’re going to do best.”
Soaring fuel prices, including marine diesel, have made the necessary offshore trips — which typically require fishermen to travel at least 50 miles into the Pacific to reach the tuna fishing grounds — increasingly less lucrative (and less appealing) to commercial fishermen already operating on increasingly narrow margins.