Brussels, 20/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - The EU and coastal states of the North Sea (Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Russia) reached an agreement on 16 December on the sharing of blue whiting fishing possibilities in this area. The agreement will be included in the TAC and quota rules for 2006, currently negotiated by European fisheries ministers. The total allowable catch (TAC) for blue whiting for all these countries sharing stock management has been set at 2 million tonnes for 2006. The EU share amounts to 30.5% of the TAC total. The Parties have agreed to reduce the TAC by at least 100,000 tonnes annually until the fishing mortality (amount of fish taken from the stock by fishing) is reduced to ensure stock preservation.