CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Masse’s Fresh Market in Chicopee has been a go-to for fresh seafood for generations, but now, people say the big catch isn’t just coming out of the ocean -- it’s showing up on the price tag.

“It’s so expensive to take the boat out to actually fish for the fish,” said Lori Laughlin, general manager of Masse’s. “So, a lot of them are not going out as often as they were before.”

Masse’s says they’re seeing costs jump week-to-week as the cost of diesel surges. Add on tariffs and tighter fishing limits and the cost lands squarely on the consumer.

“There’s many factors that contribute to the increase in costs of fresh seafood products and seafood in general,” said wholesale buyer Don Rondeau. “A lot of it is due to the resources themselves.”

Rondeau says everything from fishing limits to global demand is squeezing supply.

“Most of them are wild harvesters and the oceans just aren’t as abundant as they used to be many, many years ago,” said Rondeau. “So we’re dealing with that. We’re dealing with increased quota regulations, the amount of fish they’re able to harvest.”

Rondeau says some seafood products are up forty to fifty percent just since last year, with many others up twenty to thirty percent.

“The higher the prices go, your volume starts to drop because there are less people willing to spend as much money depending on their budget,” said Rondeau.

Laughlin says cod prices have jumped in the last five years, making it a more expensive fish while salmon is a cheaper alternative.

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