Image, Video, and Article By Mathylda Dulian
Fish loaded off a boat getting sorted and tagged before being sold at the Key West Fish Market.
KEY WEST, FL. — Known for its pink shrimp and snapper, Key West's fishing industry is a cornerstone of the U.S. seafood supply. But rising diesel prices and mounting pollution are increasing pressure on local fishermen to sustain their way of life.
"The increase in diesel price definitely affects them," said Brandon, a co-owner of the Key West Fish Market. "Somebody gets screwed over, it's either the market or the fishermen."
Diesel costs have surged in recent months and are cutting deeply into already slim profit margins. Access to affordable diesel is essential for the fishing industry, as boats require fuel for their daily operations and for transporting catches to markets.
"We've watched diesel prices climb steadily, and it's made running a boat a lot harder. Diesel is the lifeline of this industry, without it, we can't fish, we can't transport, we can't survive," said Captain Jason Miller, a formerly commercial, now charter/sport fisherman with 40 years of experience in the Keys.
Environmental concerns also affect fishermen, only increasing the daily obstacles diesel creates. Much of the ecological pressure on the industry stems from nutrient runoff from farmland, sewage treatment plants, and urban areas along the Mississippi River. According to The Nature Conservancy, nitrogen and phosphorus carried into the Gulf of Mexico fuel massive algae blooms, which choke off oxygen in the water. This phenomenon creates a "dead zone," where marine life struggles or fails to survive.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that this dead zone costs U.S. seafood and tourism industries $82 million annually. The Gulf's seafood industry, which accounts for more than 40% of the nation's seafood, is particularly vulnerable.
"Water quality is everything," Miller said. "When you degrade the water quality, you degrade all the lifeforms that are in it. The ripple effects are devastating."
Recent policy shifts are adding uncertainty. President-elect Donald Trump's administration has pledged to prioritize domestic energy production with the rallying cry "drill, baby, drill." While some fishermen hope that expanded oil drilling could lower diesel costs, others fear that weakened environmental protections could exacerbate pollution problems, continuing the industry's issues.
Critics worry that expanded drilling and relaxed environmental safeguards will worsen issues like nutrient runoff and pesticide contamination. For fishermen like Miller, the stakes are high.
"I actually think that the water quality can get better," Miller added. "But what we really need to start working on is higher regulations, not only on fertilizers, but runoff and pesticides too."
Pollution doesn't just harm fish directly. It alters their feeding patterns, migration routes, and social behaviors, ultimately affecting their survival and reproduction. This impact reverberates throughout the supply chain, from fishermen to markets to consumers.
At the docks in Key West Harbor, boats return with their day's haul, a visible reminder of an industry at a crossroads. As fishermen pin their hopes on lower fuel costs under the incoming Trump administration, they fear their nets might become empty as worsening runoff and pollution threaten the waters they rely on. With their livelihoods at stake, many are left questioning the fishing industry's future in Key West.
