Cod quotas rose while haddock quotas were cut back

The negotiations in Brussels resulted in an 11% increase for cod.

However an expected 15% cut in the haddock quota came without the flexibility the Scottish fleet had been hoping for.

Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), said it was a "mixed bag".

Further talks on quotas and days at sea will be held in December.

The SFF said the negotiations between the EU and Norway were "every bit as important" as December's EU Council of Ministers meeting.

Quotas for seven North Sea stocks are decided at these EU/Norway talks including, for Scotland, cod, haddock, herring and a share of the more widely dispersed blue whiting.

SCOTTISH QUOTAS IN EU/NORWAY TALKS Cod +11% Haddock -15% Herring - 41% Whiting -25% Saithe -10% Plaice -2.5%

The SFF said that the economic impact of cod was now small, with haddock and herring being the mainstay stocks.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead: "The 11% increase in the cod quota for which the Scottish Government and our fishermen have worked hard all summer is a significant step forward.

"Without this increase, good quality cod would simply continue to be thrown overboard dead.

"However, we must continue to build on innovative measures such as voluntary real time closures to protect juvenile stocks."

'Very challenging'

Mr Armstrong told BBC Scotland: "It's a mixed bag, the cod quota has increased by 11%, we were pushing for 15%, so it could have been worse."

A pilot voluntary closure scheme to conserve North Sea cod stocks was recently extended in Scotland due to what was hailed as its initial success.

The joint initiative developed by the industry and the Scottish Government was launched earlier this year.

Under the initiative, skippers are given extra days at sea if cod forms less than 5% of their catch. The scheme now covers larger juvenile fish.