Scottish fishermen�s leaders have expressed bitter disappointment and anger at the rejection by UK fisheries minister Jonathan Shaw of a call for immediate short-term aid to help the fishing industry survive.

Scottish fishermen's leaders have expressed bitter disappointment and anger at the rejection by UK fisheries minister Jonathan Shaw of a call for immediate short-term aid to help the fishing industry survive in the face of escalating fuel costs.

Leaders of the Scottish industry had what they described as a "very cool" reception from the UK Fisheries Minister after a mass lobby of the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs in Whitehall yesterday.

Fishermen have seen fuel costs increase by 100% in the past year and the largest trawlers in the fleet can spend £40,000 on fuel on a nine-day trip. "Fuel costs are soaking up 50% of the gross earnings from a trip and that throws the viability of the business into question," said Ian Grant, president of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF).

"Our case is special in that we cannot pass the costs on to anyone. We just have to take the market price for our product and absorb all costs"

Fishermen are arguing for short-term government support in the form of a "de minimus" payment which they claim rival French and Spanish trawlers receive from their national governments.

EU rules allow governments discretion to make payments of up to 30,000 euros over three years to small businesses without breaking competition rules. "We're not operating on a level playing field," said John Brown, vice president of the SFF.

Mr Shaw told the fishing industry delegation that the UK Government did not have the financial resources available to provide support for the industry. Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Fisheries, Richard Lochhead MSP, attended via a video link and urged all UK fisheries ministers to meet urgently to find a viable solution.