BIRD conservation group RSPB said today that with “compromise heaped on compromise, “ the Fisheries Council decisions in Brussels were another nail in the coffin of the collapsing cod stock in the North Sea.

The deal, hailed by the UK as good for fish, fishermen and the marine environment dashes lingering hopes of the recovery needed to restore the fortunes of the fishing industry, the grouping claimed.

The Commission had already rejected scientific advice for a zero catch of cod and called instead for a 15 per cent cut in the number of days vessels can go out to fish. Crucially, the Ministers rejected the Commission’s compromise, opting instead for a mere five per cent reduction in fishing days.

The UK Ministers justified this on grounds that the Scottish trawler fleet had already more than halved in numbers and that the Council had cut effort in the prawn (nephrops) and an flatfish (plaice and sole) fisheries, which take a heavy bycatch of juvenile cod. However, this was undermined by a quota increase of 31 per cent for prawns in the North Sea.

“Every year, the EU drives a stake deeper into the heart of the decimated cod stock instead of taking the bold action needed to breathe life back into it”, says Euan Dunn, Head of Marine Policy at the RSPB.

“The Ministers have extended the closure of the beleaguered sandeel fishery, which we welcome”, he says. “This proves that the Council can push the boat out when a stock is in dire straits. So, now we urgently need the same sort of radical measures to throw cod a lifeline."

Meanwhile Scottish Shadow Fisheries Minster, Richard Lochhead, today accused Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie of failing Scotland's fishermen.

Mr Lochhead said:

"When all the government spin has evaporated, this will be seen as a bad deal for Scotland's fishing industry and the communities it supports.

"Fishermen face a bleaker Christmas following Ross Finnie's failure to stop Brussels imposing more damaging cuts on Scotland, cuts which will impact on fishermen who only just managed to stay afloat in 2005.

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

"Mr Finnie's blunders in Brussels have left Scotland with a record low haddock quota at a time of a record high haddock stock. Even the welcome increase in the prawn quota is soured by a reduction in the number of days at sea that these boats can fish.

"Our white fish fleets and our fish processors, who will be damaged by this deal, urgently need Ross Finnie to salvage what he can from this situation to ensure the industry gets the support it needs to survive."

Also commenting on the outcome of the fish talks, Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, said:

“The compromise agreement reached by ministers in Brussels while not a disaster will clearly come as a disappointment to many in the fishing industry. Although UK ministers were able to negotiate down the cut in the number of days at sea for the whitefish fleet the end result was another cut nonetheless.

“It is important to remember that over the last five years the Scottish white fish fleet has reduced its fishing effort by 65%. The pain of that process has been particularly acute in the Northern Isles. After so many cuts in quotas and days at sea in recent years, to still be in a position where further reductions are being agreed is frustrating.

“It is particularly disappointing that the haddock quota is to be cut given the strength of the stock. There are however some bright spots in this deal. The agreement reached on Monkfish is one of them. Hopefully this quota will be increased during 2006.”

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