Dozens of commercial fishermen blockaded an oil terminal in the French port city of Fos-sur-Mer early this morning, protesting soaring fuel prices and worsening working conditions.
Sea-news.az reports that the demonstrators are demanding an official meeting with Minister of Fisheries Catherine Chabaud.
According to fisherman representative Ange Natoli, the blockade of the oil terminal began at 03:00 AM. Local prefecture authorities confirmed that approximately 50 fuel tanker trucks were blocked from exiting the Fos oil terminal facility.
The action follows a series of demonstrations held a day prior by dozens of fishermen in the ports of Sète and Port-Vendres. Although a trade union delegation was received at the prefecture in Sète, fishers stated that their core demands went unanswered. Bernard Perez, head of the Occitanie Regional Fisheries Committee, warned that protests could escalate further if grievances are ignored.
The unified protest movement is backed by the regional fisheries committees of Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, and Corsica, alongside three producer organizations operating in the Mediterranean, and trade unions representing both employed and employer mariners. Organizers stated that the actions will continue indefinitely until concrete solutions are delivered to address the profession’s foundational demands.
Fishermen cite cumulative frustration over deteriorating operational realities, highlighting soaring maintenance and fuel expenses alongside an escalating burden of administrative and regulatory requirements.
France ranks as Europe’s second-largest producer of fishery products, trailing only Spain.
