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Fishermen blockaded the depot of Frontignan, near Sete in southern France, on Wednesday morning, just 24 hours after a similar blockade at Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille, in a protest over rising fuel prices and deteriorating working conditions. They also called for a meeting with Fisheries Minister Catherine Chabaud.
The demonstration comes as fuel prices in France hit record levels.
The average price of unleaded 95-E10 rose by 2.3 cents last week to almost €2.11 per liter, according to government figures released on Monday, the highest level since the government began collecting the data in 1985 and the sixth straight week of increases.
Diesel prices also climbed, reaching around €2.29 per liter on average, up 3.4 cents in one week.
Prices as high as €2.80 a litre have been recorded in some parts of France, with the increases tied to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Social media has also seen growing calls for the Gilets Jaunes to take to the streets, in a protest over rising fuel prices and the general cost of living; a 'day of action' is planned for Oct. 17.
The Frontignan blockade involves around 100 fishermen and their supporters, with a spokesman for the group telling French media that their goal is to "continue to put pressure on the government for a meeting, to get a reduction in the price of diesel."
On Tuesday, the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture said around 50 tanker trucks were blocked from leaving the Fos oil terminal. No major incidents had been reported, apart from a fire involving some wooden pallets.
The protest follows similar demonstrations on Monday in Sète and Port-Vendres, in Pyrénées-Orientales.
Fisheries organizations and seafarers’ unions in the Mediterranean launched a joint campaign on Monday.
They said the action would continue until the government provides “concrete responses” to the sector’s main demands.
Fishermen say working conditions have worsened, particularly due to rising operating and fuel costs.
They are also protesting what they describe as an increase in administrative and regulatory requirements.
Minister Delegate for Energy Maud Bregeon called for normal conditions to return to the Strait of Hormuz, saying the French president was working toward that goal.
France ranks as the EU’s second-largest producer of fishery products, behind Spain. French fishermen caught around 477,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish in 2024, according to government figures, almost unchanged from 2023.
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