Yet another industry affected>
Half of Dutch fleet idle as European fishing hit by high diesel prices
The fishing industry is emerging as an early European casualty of soaring diesel costs amid the Iran war, with at least half the Dutch fleet staying in port this week, according to industry representatives.
The pressure is most acute in the Netherlands because of an outsized number of beam trawlers in its fleet, which makes up about 7% of the European Union's total.
These ships target high-value North Sea flatfish such as sole, turbot and brill, but burn relatively large amounts of fuel. Industry group VisNed said 80% to 90% of such trawlers did not sail out this week.
Now the fuel bill is equal to the revenue, so it simply does not work,” he said. (Reuters)
