I power troll in SE AK in the summers and live in northern Norway rest of the year. I have fisherman friends here in Norway who are just so envious for the low fuel prices I pay in the summer in AK. When any fishing topic of conversation comes up, this is the reference they usually make first, "Hvis vi kunne ha dem lave drivstoff prisene som dere i Alaska har ,skulle vi jo være en store fløte igjen med større båter."
Basically they just reference the small size of the fleet remaining in northern Norway compared witht he smaller size boat/engine. We pay about 10,64 per diesel gallon here in Northern Norway. Most boats are under 35 feet and engine sizes likewise smaller. With that said, I feel lucky to be paying lower fuel prices in AK and that enables me to run a larger boat (43 feet) with an old engine that is not exactly fuel efficient. I run low RPMs when running and just whince at the pump. I do want to switch out engines sometime and get a friendlier engine, but not possible now.
Sometimes in AK I hear speculation about how high fuel prices need to get before the fleet just does not untie from the docks. With my experience in Norway, I would guess that no matter how high the fuel prices get, those that want to fish will pay the price. We just need to adapt to the times, smaller boats and smaller engines. But we are not exactly at that point yet, I think.
Abundance
2012-04-23 21:21:26
My Norwegian is not so great, despite my ancestry, but I get the drift that they would be getting bigger boats if they had Alaska's fuel prices. I have often wondered what the European boats do with their extreme fuel costs. I know that fuel is never going to cheap again. Even if we finds an alternative energy source, it isn't going to be cheap. It is interesting to see what people do to avoid the pain at the pump. I think that part of the reason that so much of the fleet wants to fish inside for chums is the extreme reduction in fuel consumption. I know that my Dad is thinking of switching to a small, narrow boat with a little put-put engine, as his home is onshore and he doesn't need a big living area just by himself out out there. I know that if i built a new boat, it would be at least sail assisted. Full on sail boats are good for traveling, but roll like mad when run at slow speeds in the trough. Believe me, I know. I don't know what the answer is, but I know that a lot of ingenious minds, in the fleet and onshore,l are thinking up new innovations all of the time. We will see what the next few years bring us. By the way, Tim, I met you before on the dock in Sitka last spring. I just wanted to ask, what do they fish for in Norway? What do there boats look like? Is it hook an line, or nets? Do you do any fishing there? Have any pictures? I am full of curiosity here.
salmon4u
2012-04-24 19:41:54
it could be that natural gas conversion and dual fuel diesel natural gas will be the future. too bad our government can't get it's act together, it burns cleaner and cost would be around 1.50 equivalent/ gallon. do a google search on natural gas marine fuel... check it out