(BRUSSELS) - European Union ministers on Thursday slashed fishing quotas for extinction-threatened cod by up to 20 percent after marathon talks.

Facing mounting warnings over the future of the fish, EU fisheries and agriculture ministers agreed to cut cod catches by 14 to 20 percent depending on the area. Fishing boats will have the number of days they are allowed to spend at sea cut by eight to 10 percent.

Citing scientific data on the depletion of cod stocks, the European Commission had recommended up to a 25-percent cut in catches. Some scientists have said cod numbers will only recover if there is a total ban, but this was rejected by the ministers.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said the accord had been "difficult" to hammer out but told journalists: "I believe that the agreement reached tonight reinforces our gradual but sustained approach for sustainable fisheries."

After 36 hours of talks, the major cod consuming countries -- Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands -- were finally persuaded to accept the cuts.

The deal was described as a "disaster" by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). "Mocking scientific advice has become standard practice in the decisions made by the European Fisheries ministers," the group said in a statement.

"Once again... the ministers have set irresponsible fishing quotas for 2007".

The group criticised the deal point by point, arguing that the 14 percent cod quota reduction figure for the North Sea "will accelerate the pace towards the species' commercial extinction". WWF has called for a total ban to allow stocks to replenish.

Prolonged talks on fishing quotas have become an annual pre-Christmas event as ministers try to agree on catch limits, quotas for each country, and the number of fishing days allowed.

The talks are highly charged as an estimated 500,000 people are employed in the fishing industry within the EU, particularly relying on the Atlantic and the North Sea.

An agreement was brokered between France and Spain, who have long been split over anchovy quotas in the Bay of Biscay, by allowing three months of "experimental fishing". Only 10 percent of the normal number of boats -- 20 from Spain and eight from France -- will be allowed to take part.

A decision on further fishing will be taken after additional scientific advice, officials said.

France's Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Domninique Bussereau said it was an acceptable "compromise".

Bussereau and his Spanish counterpart, Elena Espinosa, highlighted that anchovies were only a small part of their countries' fishing industry and that both had succeeded in maintaining or increasing their quotas for other fish such as mackerel and lobster.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council Conclusions, 19-21 December 2006

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