Brussels, 22/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - During Tuesday's Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, the European Commission sounded out Member States on the prospects for negotiations on 27 June between the EU and countries on the North Sea coast (Norway, Ferro Islands, Iceland and Russia) on the sharing of blue whiting stocks. The Commission pointed to Norway's unilateral decision of closing (until the end of the year) its blue whiting fisheries due to a 25% fall in this specie's stock. Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg is proposing to suspend blue whiting fishing in western waters and to reduce Community boat quotas by 50% in other fishing zones. The United Kingdom has appealed for 80% quotas, France, 20% and the Danes for a much lower than 50% cut.