Fishermen seek urgent help with soaring fuel costs
BBCFishermen say they will be forced out of business unless the government subsidises the cost of their fuel.
They are calling on ministers to follow the EU's lead and provide help to an industry "vital to UK food security".
Paul Trebilcock, of fish supplier W Stevens and Sons, said the government allowed subsidised EU fleets access to UK waters while local fishermen received no help. "The EU gives 20p of subsidy per litre to their fleets but our government does nothing - it beggars belief."
A Defra spokesperson said: "This government is helping our vital fishing industry by providing tax relief on fuel, alongside £360m to support its development through our Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund."
Fishermen in South West England told the BBC they were considering quitting the business due to the cost of fuel.
Steve Moseley, skipper of the Billy Rowney trawler which operates from Newlyn, said the £3,000 daily bill for his fuel was unsustainable.
He said: "You're getting borderline to where you're going to say, hang on a minute, is this worth still doing?"
Lee Harvey, skipper of Newlyn boat Dream Catcher, said: "You've got to start thinking, what else are we going to do?
"Because if the fuel goes up much more, then you're not going to go to sea just to catch stuff and not earn any money."
Nathan Cock, skipper of Our Rachael, said it was "as though the government did not want the fishing industry".
He said: "We've been asking repeatedly for help with fuel and we've had nothing, nothing whatsoever. It's not acceptable.
"We're competing with French fishing vessels that work inside our grounds.
We are trying to compete with that and... it's not viable."
Food shortages
The UK government points to a £360m pot of support available to the industry over the next 12 years but fishermen said that was unconnected to the fuel crisis and could not be used to offset fuel price increases.
Chris Ranford, from Cornwall Fish Producers Association, called on the government to reconsider how to structure its support.
He said: "We've been saying that we should take some of that money, perhaps the last two years of that fund, and bring it forward as our own crisis fund.
"That would simply match what the EU has been giving to its member states and subsequently to its fishing industries."
Harvey said government help for the fishing industry rarely came when it was needed.
"We don't ever seem to get any help so the only help we ever get is to get grants for stuff that we don't actually need," he said.
"You can't get a grant for a life raft, you can't get a hump for fuel but if you want to put some lights on your boat you can get help for them that you don't need."
Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth, said it had been "really difficult" for people working in the industry for "a very, very long time".
The MP said the government wanted "long-term permanent reductions for fishermen".
She said: "So they've got the 80% red fuel, red diesel duty cut and also the marine voyage relief as well - so they are virtually paying no duty at all for fuel.
"That's... the long-term position the government's taking, trying to help on a long-term basis rather than short-term subsidies.
"Of course... we will be constantly monitoring what happens, to see if further help is required in the future."
Food security
The fuel crisis for fishermen comes as government ministers have been encouraging people to stock up on canned food in the event of shortages.
Trebilcock said the fishing industry made a major contribution to food security while fish also provided healthy low-carbon protein.
"We land about 20,000 tonnes of seafood into Cornwall in any given year," he said.
"So we can feed the whole South West population one portion of seafood per week for the whole year if we keep doing what we're doing."
Ranford said European governments recognised the importance of fishing grounds for food security but claimed the UK government appeared to be in denial.
Defra said the fishing sector benefited from duty free diesel, made up from the 80% reduction in duty from red diesel and marine voyage relief that allows fishermen to claim the remaining 20% back.
