Fishing strikes falter as French farmers, truckers protest fuel price

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

PARIS (AFP) — Splits emerged in Europe's fuel-price fishing strikes Monday, with some Spanish trawlers returning to work and most French fishing ports operating normally after a three-week stoppage.

The gradual resumption of fishing came ahead of a meeting in Madrid this week of Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese officials to coordinate an appeal to Brussels for aid for European fishing fleets, hit by a 30 percent increase in marine diesel since the start of the year.

Fuel protests on land gathered steam, however, with riot police clashing with dozens of protesting farmers attempting to blockade a French Mediterranean oil depot and truckers staging go-slow convoy protests across France.

Dozens of French riot police fired tear gas at the farmers...