EU to cut deep-sea fishing quotas

THE EU has agreed to cut deep-sea fishing quotas for 2007, saying its plan to gradually scale back catches of pelagic sharks will mean the end of fishing for those species after 2010.

The decision by EU fisheries ministers to reduce catches of the two species by 25% annually over the next four years falls short of proposals made in September by the European Commission to reduce catches of sharks and orange roughly by 33%.Ministers also approved catch limits for the roundnose grenadier and blue ling that were more generous than those backed by the commission.