Fos-sur-mer: "Europe is killing us," "the EU is sinking our boats," and "Paris is watching us": these were the slogans brandished on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by fishermen in Fos-sur-Mer, in the south of France, during a demonstration against the rise in fuel prices and the accumulation of administrative constraints which, according to them, further weaken an already struggling profession.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the protest began around 3:00 AM in front of an oil depot in Fos-sur-Mer. Demonstrators blocked the entrance to approximately one hundred tanker trucks in order to draw the authorities' attention to their economic difficulties and to obtain concrete measures to preserve their operations.
The fishermen also demanded a meeting with the Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud. However, the demonstration led to clashes with law enforcement, who used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
This intervention has reinforced the feeling of discontent among fishing professionals, who denounce a lack of appropriate responses to their demands. The ministry nevertheless indicated that the minister had "taken note of their demands" and that she would receive them "in the coming days in a spirit of dialogue."
The movement comes after rallies organized on Monday in Sete and Port-Vendres. The regional fisheries committees of Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, and Corsica, as well as the seafarers' unions, announced the continuation of a joint mobilization until concrete answers are obtained.
Christine Poncharreau, representative of the regional fishermen's organization for Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, detailed that the price of diesel fuel for fishing has risen from approximately pound 0.60 to pound 1.20 per liter. At the pump, diesel has increased from approximately pound 1.70 to pound 2.30 per liter, while SP95-E10 gasoline has increased from pound 1.70 to pound 2.10.
Adding to this economic pressure is the burden of European regulations. Fishermen believe that the proliferation of standards reduces their room for maneuver and threatens the viability of their businesses. They also accuse the French government of not sufficiently defending their interests with European institutions.
The protests thus go beyond the issue of fuel alone. Through their demonstrations, maritime professionals are raising awareness about the future of their profession and fear that increased costs, new regulations, and administrative constraints will gradually lead to the disappearance of certain fishing activities.
The mobilization in several ports in the south of France thus reflects a deep unease within the profession, which now expects French and European authorities to take measures likely to guarantee the sustainability of fishing.