National
Fisherman start strike action in Barcelona Port
By h.b.
May 26, 2008 - 8:12 PM

Fishermen in the port of Barcelona have started indefinite strike action in protest at the increasing cost of diesel fuel. Currently the fishermen pay 75 cents a litre, but they want that reduced to just 40 cents.

They also want to see greater controls on imports of fish from outside the European Union, which they say has led to ‘the sinking of the price of fish’, and say their protest comes in solidarity with similar events which started last week in France, Italy and Belgium. Portugal, Greece and Britain are expected to join the stoppage at the end of the month.

The Catalan ports of Roses and El Port de la Selva in Girona are also on strike already, with the protest expected to spread to all of Cataluña tomorrow or the day after.

A meeting is planned in Madrid between fishermen from across the country and representatives from the Ministry for the Environment to explain the fishermen’s demands.