French fishermen protest over rising fuel costs
Source: Reuters
(Adds Le Havre protest, minister) RENNES, France, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Fishermen disrupted traffic in northwestern France on Saturday to protest against the rising cost of fuel and to demand state aid. Around 100 vehicles slowed down traffic in a "snail operation" on main roads in western Brittany, said a spokesman for the fishermen who started a strike in the northwestern port of Guilvinec on Friday. The fishermen said they had expanded their strike from Guilvinec to the northwestern ports of Concarneau, Lorient, La Turballe and Le Croisic. "The strike should widen to all ports of the Atlantic and the Channel," said Dominique Faou, spokesman for the fishermen's crisis committee. "If nothing's moving forward by Monday, we will start new action." In the northern port city of Le Havre, around a dozen boats briefly blocked a lock, delaying the start of a sailing race. Fishing firms say they had budgeted for diesel to cost some 30 euro cents a litre this year. But the price has jumped to 51 cents in recent days, meaning boat owners risk making a loss every time they go to sea. The fishermen want a cut in duty on fuel and have dismissed a 25.5 million euro ($37 million) aid package announced by the government as insufficient. Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier said he would receive representatives from the fishing industry again next week to talk about their concerns. Oil surged 2.5 percent on Friday, nearing a fresh peak as strong U.S. economic data reignited a rally that has added more than 40 percent to prices since August. Oil prices hit more than $96 per barrel earlier this week.
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