Bangkok, 22 May 2026 – Southeast Asia’s fishing communities are facing mounting pressure as soaring fuel costs squeeze margins, force boats to stay docked and threaten the livelihoods of workers already operating on thin incomes.
The fuel shock has become one of the most visible downstream effects of the wider energy disruption linked to the Middle East conflict. For fishermen, diesel is not a minor cost item. It is often the single largest operating expense, affecting every trip to sea, every catch landed and every kilogramme of seafood delivered to markets.
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