Cod on fish talks menu

New fish quotas are agreed in December

The dwindling stocks of North Sea cod will be top of the agenda at a meeting of European Union fisheries ministers in Brussels.

Scottish Fisheries Minister Rhona Brankin will be among those at the summit on Friday.

The politicians are being asked to agree to the annual deal over fishing rights with non-EU member Norway.

The 12-month agreement allows Norwegian fishing boats access to the fish stocks of EU member countries.

Whatever the meeting agrees, it will set the tone for next month's crucial talks in Brussels to determine the annual EU catch quotas for next year.

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Scientists are already warning that North Sea cod stocks in particular are near collapse and all European Union members are expecting some tough cutbacks in December.

EU fisheries commissioner Franz Fischler is expected to outline his thoughts on tackling that problem at the meeting.

Ms Brankin will be in Europe for the first time to defend the interests of the Scottish fishing fleet.

Earlier this week, fishermen from the EU's North Sea countries - including those from Scotland - sat down with scientists and advisers to discuss fishing quotas.

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation is hoping that, with direct input from fishermen, EU fisheries ministers will be persuaded to adopt a five-year strategy for fish conservation.