 The swap deal will help keep fishing boats afloat |
Owners of small fishing boats along the coasts of east and south-east England have been thrown a lifeline by Europe. Britain has exchanged with Germany 1.5% of its quota for North Sea prawns for permission to land an extra 150 tonnes of high-value sole.
Ministers said it was a rescue deal that would safeguard 160 small boats in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent in danger of going out of business.
The boats caught mainly skate, ray, cod and sole which have had catches cut.
'Urgent action'
European fisheries ministers set 25% lower limits for fish from the North Sea in 2007 because stock levels were declining.
Many small English fishing boats, from Lowestoft to Folkestone, faced going out of business because they could not catch enough fish under the restrictions.
The government has struck a deal with Germany to swap 375 tonnes of North Sea prawns quota for 150 tonnes of North Sea sole.
Ben Bradshaw, UK Fisheries Minister, said: "We had to take urgent action or scores of fishermen risked losing their livelihoods.
"The deal we struck means they can carry on fishing without a disproportionate impact on other fishermen."
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