FISHERFOLK in Alaska set up a floating picket line of about 100 fishing boats and other vessels, blocking tankers heading for Prince William Sound, for three days in August. They were protesting Exxon's failure to deal with the after effects of the March 1989 oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, which they blame for the drastic decline in their fish catches.

The three-day protest temporarily halted shipments of Alaskan crude and raised concerns that US oil supplies and, consequently, prices might be affected.