UK Fishermen Idle as Diesel Prices Double; French Rivals Subsidized

British fishermen are keeping vessels in port as marine diesel prices, around £1.15 per litre, have more than doubled in six months, making many trips uneconomic, the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations warned. French and Danish competitors receive EU fuel subsidies worth about 30 pence per litre, allowing them to trawl UK waters where British boats cannot afford to operate, NFFO chief executive Mike Cohen said. He added that scallop fishermen are hit hardest because dredging distant seabeds is diesel-intensive. The crisis follows the escalating Middle East conflict, which pushed oil prices to about $104 per barrel, with concerns the US could restrict diesel exports. Industry representatives have written to Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle and fisheries minister Stephen Morgan requesting urgent government support. Brixham operator Jamie Newton, who runs seven vessels, said any major mechanical breakdown would be financially fatal. The government did not respond to a request for comment.