Tough new penalties in EU fish deal

FISHERMEN can lose their licences permanently and countries will lose their fish quota if they persistently break the rules.

As a result of major new penalties agreed by EU countries recreational fishing will be monitored for the first time, with anglers having to report any catches of species under severe threat, such as cod and blue fin tuna.

The EU’s 25-year-old common fish policy has failed to conserve fish stocks, despite huge amounts of money and lots of regulation. The European Court of Auditors blamed this partly on poor control and enforcement of the rules by member states.