Luxembourg, 26/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - Catch limits for herring and authorised days at sea for cod made life difficult for European fisheries ministers. In Luxembourg at the end of the afternoon on Tuesday 26 October, member states were working their way towards a probable political agreement on proposals to determine total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for 2011 in the waters of the Baltic Sea. For 2011, the Commission proposes a 15% increase for cod in the Eastern Baltic and a 6% increase for the Western Baltic stock. The countries concerned (Poland, Germany and the Baltic States) feel these are acceptable. For Western herring, the Commission proposes a 30% reduction. Germany asked for the decision on the TAC to be postponed until December. The Commission also proposed significantly reducing other herring, salmon and sprat quotas. The countries affected by these changes tried to win less drastic cuts for these species, and even the retention of current quotas in some cases. (L.C./transl.rt)