European Union fisheries ministers have agreed on emergency measures aimed at saving from extinction several species of fish - mainly cod - in setting next year's fishing quotas. The quotas, many sharply reduced from 2002, were less than initially proposed by the EU's executive commission.
But they still sparked widespread anger among European fishermen who say the cuts will drive them into bankruptcy.
Scientists say cod stocks in northern EU waters are at their lowest levels ever recorded and had recommended a total ban on cod fishing, a drastic measure that the Commission avoided in order to minimise the economic impact for coastal communities.
For cod the ministers agreed to a 45 per cent cut for the North Sea against the 2002 quota. The Commission had first wanted a 79 per cent cut.
This will be combined with compulsory cuts in the number of days vessels may spend at sea. In the case of North Sea cod, for example, this will be nine days every month.
Similar measures and a 45 per cent quota cut will apply to hake, where stocks are also dangerously low. They will come into force on a temporary basis from February 1st until a final recovery plan for both species comes into effect from July 2003.
"Cod has been sacrificed for the sake of political agreement," said Mr Julian Scola at the European Fisheries Campaign of the World Wide Fund for Nature.
"What the EU is doing is to allow that cod could become commercially extinct," he added.
Irish fishing industry representatives reacted with initial disappointment last night to the deal agreed at late-night talks in Brussels.
"We still have to look at the detail, but the proposal to restrict the whitefish fleet in the north-west (area VI) to nine days a month at sea will be disastrous," said Mr Sean O'Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation. This would have very serious implications for the whitefish fleet extending from Rossaveal, Co Galway, to Donegal, he added.
The restriction is part of measures agreed to conserve cod stocks, but will apply to whitefish vessels whatever species they are catching.
"Irish vessels catch very little cod in area VI, but we are being pulled into the restrictions for the North Sea," Mr O'Donoghue said. "The measure should have been species-specific if there was to be any logic to it."
The Irish Sea and Celtic Sea were spared the restriction because of stock recovery plans which are already in place for these areas.