Reuters AlertNet Lite - Striking French fishermen block two oil depots

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Striking French fishermen block two oil depots

05 Nov 2007 09:04:58 GMT
Source: Reuters

BREST, France, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Striking fishermen blocked the entrances to two oil depots in northwestern France on Monday in a protest over the rising cost of fuel.

Around 300 fishermen barred access to a depot in the Atlantic port of Brest shortly before dawn and other protesters sealed off a depot serving the port of Lorient.

The protest started in the northwestern port of Guilvinec on Friday. Fishermen are looking to widen the protest to put pressure on the government to compensate them for the rising cost of diesel.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier has said he will meet the protesters on Wednesday.

Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said on Monday she would meet oil companies and urged them not to overreact to recent increases in the cost of oil.

"It is a commodity that will become increasingly rare," she told Europe 1 radio.

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 last week as insufficient.

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Last updated:Mon Nov 5 09:05:18 2007