A special meeting was held in Dammam involving government officials to discuss the issue after diesel prices in Qatif doubled, affecting the business of fishermen.

Zarib Al-Qahtani, undersecretary at the governorate, presided over the meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Border Guards, King Abdulaziz Port Customs, the Fisheries Department and the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

In a previous statement, Col. Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, spokesman for the Border Guards in the Eastern Province, said diesel prices had nothing to do with his organization.

“We have not taken the decision to increase diesel prices on fishing boats. We are only an executing authority,” he said.

Al-Ghamdi said the Customs Department imposed the increase in diesel prices on fishing boats longer than 16 meters in line with international prices in order to combat the smuggling of diesel outside the country.

He said boats with a length of less than 16 meters are allowed to fill diesel at local prices, adding that those longer than that were not following regulations.

“We are applying the law and those boats that do not fulfill the necessary conditions would not be allowed to fish,” he said.

Al-Ghamdi  said a group of fishermen approached the Border Guards office in the Eastern Province to present a complaint.

“We have explained to them the reasons for increasing prices,” he added.