If they accept these measures to enable stocks to recover, that effort will be rewarded in future

Franz Fischler

Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler warned that supplies of main fish species, particularly cod and hake, were close to extinction.

But he was upbeat when he emerged from the marathon meeting, declaring it a triumph of reason.

"We are still of the view that it is better to go through this difficult period and see fishing stocks restored in the future rather than taking risks."

He insisted that there was hope for struggling European fishermen.

"We have lighted a small light for them. We want to send the message that if they accept these measures to enable stocks to recover, that effort will be rewarded in future."

'Alarming'

The negotiations were the toughest for years as ministers from several countries argued that the cuts should be no higher than scientific recommendations.

Franz Fischler: 'We must fish less'

Some areas faced severe cuts, for example in the Kattegat strait, cod quotas were reduced by 55%. In the Irish Sea and the Bay of Biscay they were cut by 18%.

The catch cuts are coupled with reductions in the number of days at sea allowed to fishing vessels, as well as EU funding for scrapping trawlers and temporarily laying up others.

Mr Fischler admitted the EU was calling for fresh sacrifices, but warned: "The situation is alarming. We have our backs to the wall."

Before the meeting Mr Fischler said he hoped the ministers would show courage and refrain from political horse trading.

He has called the state of fish stocks "alarming".

"If fishermen accept the measures to let stocks recover for a certain period of time, that effort will be rewarded in the future," he said.

Jobs at risk

In Mr Fischler's view, the crisis is the consequence of overcapacity - the EU fleet is estimated to be twice too big for the available stocks.

"Our fleet is still much too large for the available resources. Courageous measures are needed," he said.

But the UK Labour Party's fisheries spokesman in the European Parliament, Catherine Stihler, warned: "These EU cuts would go well beyond what the science requires.

"With jobs and livelihoods at stake in the some of our most rural and peripheral areas, every necessary cut must be justified by robust science."