EU fisheries ministers agreed fish catches for 2004 Friday and limited days when trawlers may go to sea, a compromise between saving endangered species like cod and keeping fishermen financially afloat, EU officials said.

After all-night talks, the bloc's 15 ministers modified plans for severe quota reductions for cod -- a fish at risk of extinction in EU waters with stocks at the lowest ever recorded -- in some waters off Denmark and also western Scotland.

Germany and Sweden voted against the proposed fishing quotas for next year, while Greece abstained. There was unanimous agreement on long-term stock recovery plans for cod and northern hake, two of the EU's most endangered species.

Ministers worked through the night for some 30 hours to thrash out a compromise, in the bloc's traditional marathon of haggling to fix national fishing rights for the coming year.

France had held out to the last to get a better deal for its fishermen, officials said.

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