While motorists are starting to notice some easing of prices at the petrol bowser, Eden’s fishing industry, which relies on diesel fuel, is still under the pump.

Local trawlers are largely driven by diesel, with fishermen also relying on the fuel to truck their catch along the highway to markets in Sydney and Melbourne.

A government rebate of 38.143 cents per litre has been in place for many years, which is available to off-road industries like fishing and agriculture, but largely serves the mining industry.

The rebate counteracts an excise introduced to raise money for road construction and repair.

Until recently the rebate equated to close to half the cost of a litre of diesel but rising prices mean fishermen are still paying well over a dollar a litre.

Fritz Drenkhahn, a retired Eden fisherman and president of South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA), said safety was a crucial concern on vessels away from port.

The industry, he said, currently rules out using most alternative fuels, as they can be volatile or inconsistent and lack the power of diesel.

“Some alternative fuels don’t have enough bang,” he said.

“Hydrogen does, but it’s not stable, biodiesel is not consistent and with gas you really have to build boats to suit and it’s not safe.

“LPG becomes an issue as fumes sink and hang and become very volatile.

“Solar and hydro can be used to look after bits and pieces like domestic power but not to propel the boat.”

Mr Drenkhahn said natural gas was safer but impractical at this stage.

“Natural gas vaporises into the air but you don’t get enough oomph out of it,” he said.

“For a trawler with the capacity for 25,000 litres of diesel to convert to gas would see the equivalent capacity of 5,000 litres.”

The future looks brighter as market demand forces the global community and governments to seek better technology and fuels, Mr Drenkhahn said.

“All this climate change stuff will force it to happen,” he said.

“There will be change once carbon trading gets going and there will be government money available to chase.”