Brief
Trump’s fishing‑industry outreach meets rising costs and trade friction
Fishermen in Washington, Alaska and Maine say Trump’s policies no longer offset soaring diesel prices and a Canada‑U.S. trade clash.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Commercial fishermen who have voted for Donald Trump in three elections are now questioning his support, citing soaring diesel prices and a trade dispute with Canada that threatens crab markets, Independent reported.
What happened
John Evich, a fisherman who works off Washington and Alaska, said he has backed Trump three times because he believed the president would protect his industry. He now says the cost of diesel has risen from under $4 per gallon a year ago to around $6 per gallon amid the war with Iran, and that trade hostilities with Canada are jeopardising crab exports. Alaska fisherman Linda Behnken added that higher costs have “undermined the viability of some of our fisheries.”
What the reports add
The Independent notes that Trump’s first term featured expanded fishing territories, aggressive trade moves and regulatory cuts, and that a second‑term push included an early‑September promise to reduce regulatory burdens following a 2025 executive order. It also cites a 2026 NOAA survey showing 70 % of commercial crews think fishing rules are too restrictive, a figure the outlet links to Trump’s anti‑bureaucracy stance.
What was said
“If somebody came along that was going to do a better job, I would vote for them in a heartbeat,” Evich told the Independent.
“I’m for whatever has to happen for the greater good in the long run for my family and my country,” Evich added.
“Having those costs be so much higher this year has really undermined the viability of some of our fisheries,” said Linda Behnken.
How it came about
Trump has long marketed himself as a pro‑fishing president, rolling back Obama‑era restrictions on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument and later restoring them before removing them again. The outlet points to a 2026 NOAA survey that found most fishermen view regulations as overly strict, reinforcing Trump’s narrative of fighting red tape. However, recent cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have slowed agency responses and reduced weather‑balloon data that fishermen rely on, while the Iran‑Iran war‑driven fuel surge and a Canada‑U.S. trade clash have added new pressures.
Key facts
- Diesel prices for fishermen have risen from under $4 to about $6 per gallon since the war with Iran began. (independent.co.uk)
- A trade dispute with Canada is threatening crab markets for U.S. fishermen. (independent.co.uk)
- 70 % of commercial fishing crews surveyed by NOAA in 2026 said fishing rules were too restrictive. (independent.co.uk)
- John Evich, a Washington‑Alaska fisherman, has voted for Trump three times but now says he would switch if a better option appears. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Trump tried to make an ally out of fishermen. Some have started to turn on him”
