But he is beginning to believe he would be better off on the dole.His last three-day trip to sea made £6,200 on the fish, but fuel costs were £4,464.

The skipper, who earned £38,000 gross last year, said his last three day-trips earned him £2.10 per hour after tax.

"Before I can even put a slice of bread on the table I have to get at least £315 a week. My missus told me this morning to reel in my gear and that's the first time she's ever said that to me in all my years at sea.

"I don't want to give it up because I love the job, but nobody can go to work for tuppence," he said.

David Stevens, owner of the Newlyn-based Crystal Sea, said his crews are also struggling with the high fuel prices.

"Fuel used to make up 15 to 20 per cent of the gross profit, but now it makes up 60 per cent.

"The crews' wages are dropping up to £300 for a seven-day trip. They're flogging their guts out working during the night at sea when they could be working at Tesco for the same money.

"We're going to lose about 30% of the vessels because they're not the most efficient and there's nobody to buy them; The only thing that takes the sting out of it all is that we're all in this together and its not our fault if we have to go out of business."

article copyright THE CORNISHMAN 

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