THE North's fishermen were last night waiting anxiously to hear the result of talks which could make or break the region's fisheries fleet.

Industry leaders were in talks with the European Commission in a bid to save cod fishing grounds from total closure next year.

They want the commission to stop short of shutting down severely-depleted fishing grounds in the North Sea, Irish Sea and waters off the West Coast of Scotland, despite the best conservation advice from experts.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler heard that the industry faces extinction unless fishing for main species continues.

Mr Fischler is already considering allowing another round of fish catch quotas next year, but only if the industry sticks to the limits and EU governments improve their controls against illegal fishing.

He blames the crisis on fishermen exceeding quotas and misreporting catches, and governments failing to enforce the rules.

Now, at best there will be drastic cuts in permitted fish catches and substantial fleet lay-offs.

Earlier this month, the commission announced a £380m programme to finance the laying up of boats and early retirement schemes, and training for those leaving an industry which has faced years of devastating cutbacks.

Whitby fisherman Richard Brewer, director of the Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers' Association, believes the industry is being thrown to the wolves.

He said: "Stocks are recovering. This is a viable industry but they don't just want to cut quotas - they want to shut it down altogether."

But Mr Fischler warned leaders that nothing short of a complete overhaul of the 20-year old Common Fisheries Policy would turn the sector around.