Proposals for an automatic cut in fish quotas in some circumstances have been dropped by the European Commission.

The plans for a 25% reduction in quotas in situations where there was not enough information about stock levels was opposed by the UK.

It was thought the plans could effect the country's most important fisheries, including Rockall cod, Irish Sea herring, haddock, plaice and West of Scotland whiting and pollock.

UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon said he was glad to see some 'realism' in the decisions being made at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on Friday.

He said: "Just because the data on a stock doesn't give the full picture, that doesn't mean slashing the amount which you're allowed to catch by a quarter is the right response.

"The UK fully supports the commission's ambitions to ensure that fish stocks are sustainable in the long term.

"But we can't support proposals which have no basis in science and could risk increasing discards from otherwise healthy stocks."

Cuts to quotas could mean fishermen may be forced to throw overboard fish they caught from stocks which may well be healthy, because they did not have the quota to cover the catch.

The UK also won backing from Ireland in its call for Iceland and the Faroe Islands to reduce the quotas they unilaterally awarded themselves for mackerel in the North Sea, or face sanctions.

Mr Benyon said: "Mackerel is vitally important to the Scottish fleet in particular, and it's not right that they should lose out when they have played by the rules.

"We had a very constructive meeting with the Irish delegation this morning, who feel the same as we do that if Iceland and the Faroe Islands don't stop taking more than their fair share then the sanctions proposed by the Commission must be considered as soon as possible."