PULA — Croatian fishermen said rising fuel prices linked to the war in Iran are straining their livelihoods, with the cost of blue diesel climbing roughly 70% in a single month. The price increase, from 0.80 euros per liter on March 8 to 1.36 euros per liter on April 7, according to official data, has placed new financial pressure on an industry already contending with limited fish stocks, fishing restrictions, and widespread imports of frozen seafood.

"This is turning into an almost hopeless situation," said Marijan Jakopovic, a 55-year-old fisherman from the village of Lanisce in Istria. "We don't know how much longer we will be able to keep working."

Jakopovic, who has prepared his boat and nets to sail on the Adriatic Sea for the past 30 years, said some fishermen spend up to 70% of their earnings on fuel, depending on the type of boat they use. To comply with EU rules on sustainable fishing, Croatian fishermen have to sail farther out and spend more time at sea, increasing their fuel consumption.

The Croatian government temporarily capped the rise in blue diesel prices but did not fully avert the impact on fishermen. Government measures kept blue diesel prices below 2 euros per liter and ensured there were no shortages, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Economy. Other countries in the region introduced state subsidies or price limits on fuel but still experienced similar effects from rising fuel prices.

Croatia has been a member of the European Union since 2013 and adopted the euro as its currency in 2023. The country currently has the highest inflation rate in the EU at 4.8% annually. Energy and food prices had already risen because of the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine before the start of the war in Iran.

Commercial fishing in Croatia has faced difficulties for years as tourism increased along the coastline and islands. More than 20 million tourists visited the country in the previous year. Croatian fishermen have complained of shrinking fish stocks, seasonal bans on some fish species, catch limits, and protected sea zones designed to preserve endangered species as ongoing challenges.

Almira Raimovic, a market vendor in the town of Pula who once fished but now takes tourists on trips using her former fishing boat, predicted that if fishermen raise the price of their catch to cover fuel costs, market and wholesale fish prices would be affected. "The focus will likely shift to cheaper fish, sardines and anchovies, which are still more affordable than other fish." Raimovic added: "Rising fuel prices will affect everyone, inflating the cost of living and of food across all sectors, not just fishing."