Scientists are worried about declining fish stocks

Cod quotas will decrease by between 14% and 20% next year, with the number of days allowed for fishing also reduced.

But permitted prawn, haddock, mackerel and monkfish catches will increase.

Fisheries minister Ben Bradshaw said UK fleets would not lose out. However, the Scottish Fishermen's Federation called the deal "far from satisfactory".

Total ban calls

The EU agreement is aimed at stimulating the recovery of depleted stocks.

Scientists say these will only recover if there is a total ban on cod fishing, but politicians ruled this out.

The cod recovery plan in its present form is excessively ambitious and will not work Bertie Armstrong Scottish Fishing Fleet Fishing deal 'a nail in coffin'

Next year's cod catches will be cut by 20% in the west of Scotland and Celtic Sea, and other stock catches cut by 15%, except the North Sea where it will be cut by 14%.

Mr Bradshaw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "In terms of income, they [fishermen] will probably be more than compensated by the increases in prawns, haddock and monkfish, all of which are nowadays more important to UK fishermen than cod.

"I think it was a good deal in the circumstances. I think the fishermen, as usual, wouldn't have liked to see any cuts in cod at all, but given the very dire scientific advice and the still very poor state of the stock, we had to take some action.

"To do nothing would have been irresponsible and unrealistic."

'Need more time'

It was a "more moderate cut than many had feared", Mr Bradshaw added.

But Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, criticised the decision to limit further the number of fishing days.

He said: "There's very little point in having enough fish to catch if you don't have the time to catch them and that's the position we now find ourselves in."

UK fishing industry in figures

He added: "We all want the same thing, which is cod recovery. Where we vigorously disagree is how we proceed to that point.

"The cod recovery plan in its present form is excessively ambitious and will not work."

EU Fisheries Minister Joe Borg said the European Commission was trying to balance the need to rebuild depleted fish stocks with the needs of those whose livelihoods depend on fishing.

The number of days cod fishermen spend at sea will be reduced next year by 7% to 10%.

The current maximum is about 15 days a month, depending on the type of fishing gear used and the exact fishing ground.

HAVE YOUR SAY A one year total stop on fishing would allow cod stocks to recover sufficiently Kev Sutton, Stoke Send us your comments

The EC originally recommended a 25% cut in days at sea. A revised proposal of a 12% cut was also rejected.

The UK argued that the deal should take into account the 65% reduction in effort put into catching cod British fishermen have made over the last four years.