Rising fuel prices see Cornish fisherman tie up their boats

• Watch Kathy Wardle's report

A Cornish Fisherman says rocketing fuel prices are forcing some boat owners to tie up their vessels.

Peter Green, who fishes out of St Mawes on Cornwall's Roseland Peninsula, says the rising cost of red diesel is making it uneconomic to go to sea.

He said: "It means the end of the road. How can we keep going?

"Fishing vessels are expensive boats to run and maintain - the costs are continuous. If you are not keeping enough back at the end of the day, you're going to end up in trouble financially."

Peter told ITV News a day sailing in his 12 metre crabber would set him back around £270 to £300 before he made any income from his catch.

"Your fuel would normally be 25-30% of your gross," he said. "For me personally working on my own that works out ok. When it gets to 70% of your day it's not viable, it really isn't."

Fish supplier Wing of St Mawes sends local seafood to restaurants, as well as mail order customers throughout the UK.

Sales manager Jack Clifford-Wing says it is costing more to run his fleet of vehicles, and he fears there may soon be less local fish available, and seafood prices could rocket.

He said: "Fish is going to go more expensive and we want to make it as accessible as possible to the nation to enjoy fish and support the local fishing industry, but it's becoming much more difficult with these rising costs.

"If there's not enough Cornish fish around, we will have to look elsewhere. That's something we don't want to do as we want to support the Cornish fishing industry, and that's what we've set out to do as a business for all our 40 years trading."

The effects of price rises are being felt in ports around the UK. Fish Producers Association the SWFPA has called for more action on fuel prices to support the industry.

Speaking during a government debate on Tuesday 14 June, fishing minister Victoria Prentis said: "I recognise the challenges facing the industry, as will many others, relating to increased fuel and other input costs.

"The government's decision to retain the fishing industry's access to red diesel has been of direct benefit."

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