Rising fuel costs are piling more pressure on British fishermen who are being forced to tie up their boats rather than go to sea, according to reports.
The war in Ukraine has helped push up already sky-high fuel costs, putting more strain on Britain’s struggling fishing industry. The red diesel that many British fishermen use for their vessels rose from around 74p a litre at the start of February to as much as 151p by mid-April, according to data from fuel website Boiler Juice.
The rise has left fishermen struggling to cover their costs, with some reportedly resorting to leaving their boats in port.
June Mummery, ex-MEP and founder of the Renaissance of the East Anglian Fisheries, tweeted: “Fisherman tying up, fuel so expensive, not worth going to sea.”
Britain’s fishing industry has issued a number of warnings in recent months that the spike in fuel costs could force them to tie up their boats and have a devastating impact on the UK’s food supply.
The Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) issued a plea for help in March warning that the war in Ukraine had seen the cost of marine diesel in the islands more than double compared to the previous year.
With nearly 50,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish being landed in Shetland last year, Daniel Lawson of the SFA urged politicians to act urgently to “help our fishing fleet keep feeding the nation”.
He added: “While Shetland boats struggle on, they see governments elsewhere take action to help an industry that is clearly valued.”
Britain’s fishermen are getting little support to weather the crisis compared with other European countries.