RCMP officers began to issue traffic tickets against truckers blockading highways in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia late Thursday, and warned they could start making arrests if the trucks are not moved.

RCMP Sgt. Ron Gosselin said officers started issuing the tickets at about 8 p.m. local time in Grand Falls, N.B. He said that tickets will soon be issued throughout the province.

Gosselin told Canadian Press that police had decided negotiations were going nowhere after three days of traffic slowdowns.

"We realized that negotiations weren't taking us anywhere...therefore we had to look at starting enforcement," he said.

Earlier Thursday, New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord had called on the RCMP to take down the blockades as the truckers' protest over high fuel costs has paralyzed commerce throughout his province and the rest of Atlantic Canada.

Hundreds of big rigs are stopped at the roadside or around scales and truck stops at 11 locations in New Brunswick and Quebec, blocking traffic along the TransCanada highway. While the truckers are letting cars pass, all commercial traffic is blocked, leading to traffic delays.

"The RCMP have the mandate to enforce the law, and it's clear that the government has indicated to the RCMP, that we're fully supporting of their efforts to enforce the law," said Lord after a caucus meeting.

Lord said he sympathizes with the independent truckers, who are struggling to keep afloat as fuel prices have soared. He said his government will announce plans to offer some relief on Friday.

Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm is also feeling the heat over high energy prices. On Thursday he announced he was delaying a fall election to focus on his energy strategy.

The protest began Tuesday, as gas prices in northern New Brunswick reached $1.34 a litre for regular unleaded. The cost of diesel fuel is about $1.16 a litre.

While the RCMP has been negotiating an end to the protest, many communities are feeling the pinch. Campbellton, New Brunswick has been cut off by the protest and many stores have run out of such staples as bread, milk and gas.

While the blockades are in New Brunswick, they are affecting business throughout the region.

Monte Snow, who runs a fish distribution company in Halifax told ATV News that he had $50,000 worth of stock in limbo, and is sure some of it will spoil.

"We actually have live lobsters that are in transit right now. We have fresh fish fillets, fresh holdfish, and any of this product is subject to rotting if it doesn't get back in time."

Pete Luckett, a Halifax grocer, says he has been waiting since Tuesday for fruits and vegetable to come in from other provinces.

"I think they are dead out of line by what they are doing because they don't realize the devastation they have on all walks of life," he said.

Hamm said he has been in contact with the other Atlantic provices and together they may take action.

"We have been asked to provide police assistance if that becomes necessary and we agreed to do that," he said.