UK environment minister "optimistic" about reaching EU fishing agreement by July

British environment minister George Eustice said on Wednesday he was optimistic an agreement could be reached with the European Union over future fishing rights by July.

Eustice told a committee of members from the upper house of parliament that Britain, which wants a partnership agreement setting out the process for annual negotiations on fishing quotas, was "not asking for something extraordinary" as Norway already has a similar agreement with the EU.

He also said that even if a broader multi-year agreement was reached, annual negotiations on total catch were "inevitable" because of the science of fish movements. There will be some reduction in access for EU fisherman to UK waters, he added.