The deal strikes the right balance in terms of protecting the environment without unduly penalising fishing fleets.

All the measures adopted today confirmed our gradual approach, which allows for the recovery and protection of stocks and a continuation of fishing activities.

I believe this agreement, in line with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy, will help conserve fish stocks, preserve the marine environment and help the long-term future of the fishing industry.

Nobody has got all they wanted, but we are extremely grateful for the spirit of co-operation which all member states have shown.

There's a headline figure of five days lost but we are able to get three days back, so it's two days in the year.

It's a compromise package and it's one which we've been negotiating for the last three days. Before that we had managed to secure substantial increases, in North Sea and west coast prawns, and 13% in west coast herring.

You have to look at the deal in the round. Obviously I am disappointed but I'm pleased we have been able to negotiate a mechanism, whereby rather than suffering the whole of that 3% cut, we were able to reduce it over the year to 1.1%

I've never made any secret of the fact as long as the cod stock is in difficulty in the North Sea, it is always difficult trying to balance the need to take measures to preserve cod against the absolute need to ensure that our fishermen can continue to earn their living and support the communities that are behind them.

In political terms, the deal was as good as could have been achieved. In reality, it does mean a reduction in the income of some sections of the fleet.

But it's a balanced package and I think there are opportunities at the start of next year where we could maybe recover some ground.

Cod is only one of the stocks and every other stock in the North Sea now is on the way up.

Fishermen face a bleaker Christmas following Ross Finnie's failure to stop Brussels imposing more damaging cuts on Scotland.

On top of all the cuts of recent years, these latest cuts will impact on fishermen who only just managed to stay afloat in 2005.

The Scots fleet achieved everything asked of it and met all its conservation targets yet has been handed down another unjust anti-Scottish deal.

Another December summit, another cut in catching effort for the Scottish fishing fleet. The story is depressingly familiar, and this after all the minister's assurances that other countries would have to match Scotland's decommissioning efforts before he made any further concessions.

Despite his claims that he would resist any further cuts in days at sea, Ross Finnie has caved in and accepted another five days' reduction of effort for the Scottish fleet.

While the industry is committed to a cod recovery, the 13% cut in haddock quota is a bitter blow, especially since the 2005 year class is looking particularly good and the '99 year class was the best for 30 years.

It makes no sense to continue to allow targeted fishing on a stock that is on the brink of collapse, as fisheries ministers are with North Sea cod. In doing so, they are ensuring that this iconic British species has virtually no chance of survival or recovery.

On top of that, ministers have agreed to increased quotas for other species that are known to have a problem with a juvenile cod bycatch, pushing the final nail in the coffin of North Sea cod and jeopardising the future sustainability of other important fisheries and the fishing communities that rely upon them.

I am disgusted with the deal. Scotland has done more than its fair share to curtail its fishing activities over the last five years and now we should be looking at an increase in quotas or at least a status quo.

There comes a point when what we have done should be recognised, but it just seems to be all pain and no gain - it is diabolical.

We have struck a good deal both for the marine environment and for the United Kingdom fishing industry, and obviously if we haven't got a good deal for stocks we don't have a good deal for that industry.