EU rapped over fishing gaffe

THE European Commission has been criticised for refusing to correct a bureaucratic blunder that has cost Scottish fishermen vital cod catches.

The wrangle started with a complaint from the Clyde Fishermen's Association, in January 2007 that its annual permitted fishing days were being cut from 280 to 252, to protect cod stocks in the west of Scotland and North Sea fishing grounds. It believed the cut applied only in the North Sea.

The European Union Ombudsman has backed the fishermen's claims, but the commission refused to accept that anything was wrong. However, the ombudsman yesterday gave it until 30 June to come up with a more constructive answer.