The conflict between Iran and the United States has quietly destroyed India's fishing industry!

On April 9, Australia's Space Daily published an article.

Sassoon Dock, once the central fishing port of Mumbai's maritime economy since the British colonial era, now stands nearly empty due to a fuel crisis triggered by weeks of ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The cost of fuel for fishing vessels has become prohibitively high, making it impossible to set sail.

Diesel prices for Indian fishing fleets have surged dramatically, reaching levels where going out to fish is no longer economically viable.

The crisis at Mumbai's waterfront is just a local symptom of a global disease.

Sassoon Dock is a historic facility dating back to the 19th century, serving as the commercial nerve center of Mumbai’s fishing trade for generations.

In normal mornings, the dock was always bustling and chaotic: fishing boats unloading their catch, ice vendors weaving through crowds, and buyers from hotels and restaurants competing fiercely for the best seafood.

Now, this rhythm has been shattered.

Fishermen face a simple and brutal calculation.

A multi-day deep-sea fishing trip consumes hundreds of liters of diesel.

At current prices, fuel costs alone may exceed the value of any actual catch—going out to sea means risking financial collapse.

Staying ashore means zero income.

Many boat owners say they are unsure how long they can financially sustain themselves if prices remain so high; some have already begun selling off equipment to cover household expenses.

India’s fishing industry is vast, with the overwhelming majority operating on a small scale.

These are mostly family-run enterprises, often passed down through generations, whose survival depends entirely on daily fuel costs, catch volume, and market prices.

Recent ceasefire declarations, brokered by regional powers, include agreements allowing ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and coordinate their movements.

But there remains a huge gap between these ceasefire promises and the actual relief in diesel prices at Sassoon Dock.

For India’s fishing communities, this timeline is critical.

They are downstream in the supply chain, far less resilient than commodity traders, and lack the economic buffer to wait for a slow recovery.

Meanwhile, the story of Sassoon Dock is being replayed across India and throughout coastal Asia.

Fishing villages in Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman Islands are facing the same economic hardships.

Fishers in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines are experiencing similar struggles.

Sassoon Dock lies about 5,000 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz.

Fishermen working there have no connection to Middle Eastern geopolitics, no stake in military deployments, and no voice in diplomatic negotiations.

Ceasefire efforts might succeed; oil might flow again through the Strait of Hormuz; prices might fall.

But the cost of lost income has already been paid—and no diplomatic agreement can make up for those losses.

Right now, the dock waits in silence, its fate determined by diesel prices telling them when the disaster will end.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861947592623239/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.