Rising cost of fuel affects harbor traffic

One of the less obvious effects of rising fuel costs is becoming

apparent along Newport Harbor: Anglers must bring extra money along

when they charter a fishing boat.

It’s no secret that fuel is getting more expensive. As of Aug. 15,

the California Energy Commission pegged the average retail price of

regular-grade gasoline at $2.716 a gallon, a high point for 2005.

Diesel prices are high too. As of Friday, the average price for a

gallon of diesel in Southern California was $3.056, according to the

energy commission. Many marine engines use diesel fuel.

On the road and on the water, fuel prices have risen since June.

Regular gas was $2.95 per gallon Friday at the Chevron station at

Bristol Street and Irvine Avenue, according to prices posted at

o7orangecountygasprices.comf7. The lowest price listed Friday was

$2.69, charged at two Arco stations in Costa Mesa.

How fuel prices affect commerce around Newport Harbor varies from

business to business. Jerry Reeck, a broker at Bayport Yachts, said

fuel costs have not changed yacht buyers’ behavior.

“If you’ve got to worry about fuel prices, you shouldn’t be buying

a yacht,” Reeck said.

But some companies with fuel tanks to fill have been forced to

pass costs along to customers. Steffanie Hellerstein, manager at

Newport Landing Sportfishing, said fuel prices have had a big effect

on business.

“When you have to fill up 900-gallon tanks, what do you think?”

she asked.

Fuel surcharges for Newport Landing customers could be as low as

$3 for someone buying a ticket for a half-day of fishing, Hellerstein

said. For customers wanting to charter a boat for a private trip, the

surcharges are considerably more expensive, ranging from $80 to $400.

Newport Landing is not alone in choosing to pass fuel costs along

to customers.

Earlier this month, fuel surcharges became part of the price

structure at Bongo’s Sportfishing Charters, company captain John

Taylor said. The company’s surcharges range from $60 to $120,

depending on how far out customers want to fish.

“You’ve got to go where the fish are, and to do that, it costs

money,” Taylor said.

Faced with rising fuel costs, charter companies have no choice but

to ask their customers to foot their fuel bills, said Mark Silvey,

chairman of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce’s marine committee.

“They had to. It’s going to break you if you don’t,” Silvey said.

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers business and the environment. He can be

reached at (714) 966-4624 or by e-mail at

[email protected].