Fishermen protest over 'Sea Empress' compensation

Compensation for fishermen in west Wales whose livelihoods were damaged by last year's Sea Empress oil disaster has been frozen below the full amount. Fishing fleets will continue to get 75 per cent of their compensation claims rather than the whole amount.

The International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, which has pounds 51m to share out between victims of the incident, decided yesterday to freeze the current 75 per cent payouts until their next meeting in October. The fleets, who were out in force to protest yesterday in the harbour of Saundersfoot in Dyfed, are outraged and are calling on the Fund to pay their claims in full. They said they will take the Fund to court if necessary in order to get their full compensation.

But the Fund stressed that there was only a limited amount of money which must be shared out equally. It is waiting until more claims come in to assess more accurately the total compensation bill. A Fund spokesman said: "It is probable that there will be an increment rise in the amount paid out in the near future."