French fishermen keep up blockades ahead of government talks
BOULOGNE SUR MER, France (AFP) — French fishermen demanding state aid to cope with soaring fuel costs Wednesday blockaded France's largest fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, ahead of crunch talks with the government.
Eighty fishing boats formed a cordon across the entry to the Channel port, with similar blockades in nearby Calais and Dunkirk, staged in protest at fuel costs and a cut in cod fishing quotas, a local union leader said.
The 10-day protest movement spread this week from the Atlantic and Channel to France's number one port in Marseille, where dozens of fishermen continued Wednesday to block road access to oil depots in Fos-sur-Mer and Berre.
Protestors claim a three-year 310 million euro (480 million dollar) rescue plan offered to the industry is no longer enough to cope with the cost of diesel, which has almost doubled to 70 euro cents per litre since November.
President Nicolas Sarkozy promised Tuesday to help the fishermen, and Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier was to meet with industry representatives Wednesday to discuss ways to "intensify" the aid package.
Around 200 fishermen rallied outside the agriculture ministry in Paris early Wednesday, with hundreds more expected later in the capital.
The fishermen, who have ransacked fish stands at half a dozen supermarkets to draw attention to their plight, have warned they will step up their protests unless their demands are met.
