# St Barts Forums > St Barts Island Main Forum >  >  Gustavia port blocked

## andynap



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## KevinS

There is a line of fishing boats, with buoys in between, stretching from in front of the Hotêl de Ville, across the mouth of the harbor, and past the commercial port to the anchorage off of Public.  The blockade, which Ive been hearing might be coming, is over the cost of fuel for the fishermen. 

Voyager is in port, and will have difficulty leaving, and the same for the yachts on the quay, or launches from a cruise ship.  About the only thing that can get through right now are dinghys.

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## amyb

Oh boy..or oh buoy!  This is some  tactic.

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## KevinS

The cruise ship Star Pride, which was due to be in port today, is en route to Antigua.

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## amyb

Makes sense.

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## KevinS

The price for fuel paid by the fishermen is 1.45/liter, or $5.65/gallon.  For road use, I paid 1.69/liter, or $6.59/gallon.

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## elgreaux

If gas for cars is down to 1.69/liter that is a major improvement, it has been as high as 2.02/liter early this year!

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## davesmom

What is the sentiment on the island?  I would think this would also block deliveries of essential items.  Any idea of the time frame?  (Gas prices in SD are insane and we are not on an island..about the same as SBH.  When you get 9 mi/gallon, it goes fast)

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## marybeth

Current sitch:

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## amyb

Thanks Marybeth. 

I predict a run on Dover Sole.

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## andynap



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## KevinS

Day 2 of the port blockade.

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## Eve

Not sure if connected, but shelves were empty at U last night
the blockade was quite a sight from the plane

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## andynap



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## cec1

WOW! It looks like the fishermen got a significant price break very quickly . . . yet want more. What’s next?

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## amyb

Fishless Fridays?

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## cassidain

An accord has been reached, and both ports are now reopened. 
Hip hip hooray !

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## KevinS

A restaurant owner assured me today that he would have fresh fish tomorrow.

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## amyb

Happy days are here again. Good news.

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## Happycamper

Curious choice of blockading the harbor demanding cheaper gas as the action plan rather than quietly raising the price of the fish to cover the extra fuel costs. On the other hand, they must be doing something right for there to be a fishery operation on St Barth when so many places have lost theirs due to over fishing and/or no profits.

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## Eve

Whew. We needed that ferry Monday. So glad they came to a satisfactory agreement

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## steelpe

> Curious choice of blockading the harbor demanding cheaper gas as the action plan rather than quietly raising the price of the fish to cover the extra fuel costs. On the other hand, they must be doing something right for there to be a fishery operation on St Barth when so many places have lost theirs due to over fishing and/or no profits.




The way it was explained to me (and I may have this not exactly right.Im sure someone will correct me) has to do with a fuel price reduction to the fishermen in France that has not been full given to the fishermen on SBH.  So they were fighting for this price reduction.

I asked the same question, why not raise the price of the fish. I was told that they dont want to raise the price as they supply a lot of fish to the local residents and they dont want to pass those costs onto the locals when they should be given this price reduction.

I was also told that most residents were in support of this blockade. But I am not sure how true that is.

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## andynap

Fisherman will now pay 1:13 euros per liter of gasoline

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