European fishermen protest spiraling diesel fuel costs

Thousands of demonstrators gave out free fish in Madrid yesterday in a bid to win public support. (Victor R. Caivano/associated press)

LONDON - Protests over spiraling fuel costs spread to many parts of Europe yesterday as fishermen, truckers, and farmers marched on government offices, blocked ports and oil depots, and even handed out free fish to court public sympathy for their plight.

Protests that began two weeks ago in France, and closed down a major London highway earlier this week, spread yesterday to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Ireland. Nationwide strikes brought the mighty Spanish and Portuguese commercial fishing industries to a virtual standstill.

Thousands of demonstrators, some carrying banners and some using fishing boats to blockade ports, protested bitterly against fuel prices that have more than tripled in the past five years and have spiked 30 percent to 50 percent to record levels in recent months.

European gas and diesel prices are generally double - or more - of what US prices are, largely because European governments impose heavy taxes on fuel. In Britain, for example, where diesel costs the equivalent of more than $9 a gallon, the government charges a fuel duty of about $3.77 a gallon, plus a 17.5 percent consumption tax on top of that - a tax on the tax.

While the fishermen and other people who depend on fuel to make their livings are angry about global crude-oil prices that have topped $130 a barrel, they are mainly protesting their governments' tax policies and demanding tax relief.

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said earlier this week that the European Union should cut some fuel taxes.

Dozens of Belgian fishermen protested outside the EU headquarters in Brussels yesterday demanding help. The European Commission issued a statement saying it wanted to be flexible to assist fishermen, but it did not offer subsidies or tax breaks.

Thousands of fishermen staged a boisterous protest outside the Spanish Agriculture Ministry in Madrid, blowing whistles and horns and setting off fireworks that filled the air with smoke. Some carried banners that read, "The fishing sector is drowning," or warned Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, "You are sending us to the cemetery."

To win public support, the protesters passed out about 20 tons of free fish. Some people jostled one another for the handouts.

In Ireland, dozens of protesting fishermen passed out free haddock and monkfish on Dublin's famous O'Connell Bridge.

The Irish fishermen said they were angry about longstanding government subsidies to fishermen in France, Spain, and other European competitors. They said the subsidies put Irish fishermen at a disadvantage that has been made worse by rising fuel prices.

In France, protests continued as farmers used tractors to block two oil depots near Dijon and Toulouse. French truckers staged a "go-slow" demonstration on a major highway near Paris.

Thousands of Italian fishermen also joined the protests yesterday, with union leaders predicting fish shortages in markets and restaurants in coming days.

The fishing strike is set to go on indefinitely. Estimates of the potential cost of the stoppage were not immediately available.

In the northwest Spanish port of Vigo, Europe's largest fishing port, the strike was taking its toll, with only 9 tons of fish - all from non-Spanish boats - being sold at its wholesale market, compared with 70 to 80 tons on a normal day, a port official said.

The stoppage has been called by fishing companies, but smaller, independent operators continued to fish.

Spain's finance minister, Pedro Solbes, said the government is looking for ways to help fishermen, but does not think lower taxes is the best solution.

"Until recently, staff salaries amounted to our biggest overhead cost. Now it's fuel," said Esteve Ortiz, president of the fishing association of the northeastern Catalan port of Tarragona.

Cepesca, the Spanish fishing confederation that is organizing the strike, includes 1,400 fishing companies employing 20,000 workers.

Amador Suarez, president of Cepesca, said it costs between $4,600 and $7,700 per day to keep a fishing boat working.

The fishing association says many fishermen can no longer afford to take their boats out.

Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.