EU fisheries ministers have finally struck a deal on next year’s catch quotas after lengthy negotiations.

Tighter controls have been resisted by some countries owing to soaring fish prices so the agreement to preserve species whose stocks are floundering at dangerously low levels is a watered down version of the EU fisheries chiefs’ proposals.

As ever cod occupied top spot on the ministerial agenda and quotas will be set 18 percent lower than in 2007 in most trawling areas, apart from the North Sea where scientists have indicated a slight improvement in fish numbers.

As a result, the North Sea cod quota was raised by 11 percent – a move already attacked by some conservation groups who say the specie’s recovery still seems precarious.

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