Fuel prices threaten livelihoods across Europe

By Estelle Shirbon

ST MALO, France (Reuters) - It was always a hard life working on trawlers off the coast of Brittany but Marc Grandmougin put up with it for 20 years -- until surging fuel costs cut the French fisherman's income by a third in one year.

On a normal week, Grandmougin is at sea from Sunday night to Saturday morning, snatching a few hours of sleep in between gruelling 18-hour shifts. He has just one night at home with his wife and three children.

But the past two weeks have been anything but normal. Grandmougin is among thousands of French fishermen who have gone on strike, blocking ports and oil depots to demand cheaper fuel.

"At this rate the only solution for us will be to start rowing," he said with a bitter chuckle. He was killing time doing maintenance work on his boss's trawler, the Jade III, which was blocking access to the port of St Malo.

A year ago, fishermen were paying between 30 and 40 euro cents (23 and 31 pence) per litre of diesel, which they can buy tax free under French rules. The price is now close to 80 cents, driven up by crude oil prices which have doubled over the past year to hit a record high of $135 per barrel on May 22.

Crude was trading near $126 on Friday.

As a result, the owner of the Jade III is spending twice as much on fuel and has that much less money left at the end of each month to share out among crew members like Grandmougin.

"I'm earning a third less than a year ago, but the work hasn't got any easier. It's the life I chose, but frankly if I have to work 18 hours a day to earn 1,000 euros a month then it's not worth it anymore," he said.