EU forced to slash fishing quotas as shoals disappear

Stocks of Europe's fish species, including the cod and haddock, had reached rock bottom and drastic measures were necessary to preserve them, the European commission warned Tuesday.

Acknowledging a "black day" for fishermen, Franz Fischler, the commissioner for agriculture and fisheries, said stocks were in an "alarming state" and called on ministers to cut permitted catch levels by up to 58 percent.

Years of reductions in catch quotas and mandatory cuts in the fishing fleet in the 15-member EU have failed to stop the decline of several species, forcing painful cuts on an industry in crisis. If the proposals are approved when ministers meet in Brussels just before Christmas, Britain will face across the board reductions.

Fischler said his proposed cuts were part of a long term strategy to help recovery. "We can now see the results of too many years of excessive fishing, due to the substantial over-capacity of the EU fleet. Too many boats are competing for too few fish," he said.

"The situation is still alarming. We now have our backs to the wall. The stocks are down and fishing pressure is too high. If we are serious about securing the future of the European fisheries sector, there is no way around significant reductions."