Sweden is to propose a sweeping reform of Europe’s fishing policy as fishermen from its four biggest national fleets announced strike action over high oil prices on Tuesday.

With Brussels under intense pressure from France, Spain and Italy to allow them to bail out their ailing industry, Stockholm is to use its presidency of the European Union next year to search for long-term solutions to the crisis.

Eskil Erlandsson, Swedish agriculture minister, told the Financial Times that quotas should be set on a multi-annual basis.

“I hope to propose a reform. Fisherman cannot go from one year to the next not knowing what the quota will be,” he said. ... Read full article