Scotland's salmon farmers are to benefit from protective measures

Measures will set minimum prices and duties will be levied on imports above a certain level.

The tariffs will be calculated on a country-by-country basis. Provisional curbs were first imposed last year after the UK and Ireland complained.

They said that cheap farmed imports from Norway, the Faroe Isles and Chile were unfairly damaging their business.

The original regime lapsed in December after a challenge from Denmark, but the final restrictions have now been agreed.

We have been forced to intervene to ensure that our salmon industry receives the protection it deserves Lewis Macdonald MSP Deputy Rural Development Minister

Westminster trade minister Douglas Alexander said cheap imports were causing "real hardship" to local communities heavily dependent on fish farming for their livelihoods.

"This action should allow the industry to invest in the future and implement restructuring proposals vital to its future success," he said.

Holyrood deputy rural development minister Lewis Macdonald said Scotland's salmon producers had been suffering from the problem since 2003.

He said: "Large volumes of salmon continue to be imported into the EU where they are sold at prices below their cost of production.

"This unfair competition disadvantages our industry. We have been forced to intervene to ensure that our salmon industry receives the protection it deserves."