EU ambassadors yesterday postponed their discussion on a proposal to cut the quota of bluefin tuna catches next year after a number of member states filed reservations on an 11th hour compromise deal.

Sources close to yesterday’s meeting of Deputy Permanent Representatives to the EU said a decision could now be taken on Tuesday because four member states, including the UK and the Netherlands, had rejected the latest proposal tabled by the EU Presidency.

The sources did not divulge details of the proposal. However, the two countries are among those insisting on a further reduction in tuna quotas. On the other hand, the Mediterranean member states, including Malta, France, Italy and Spain, are opposed to further cuts.

The discussion is over a proposal made by the Commission earlier this week that seeks a mandate from the EU Council to negotiate a reduction in tuna quotas during a meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna starting next week in Paris.

The proposal was watered down following resistance from a number of commissioners and all the member states that fish for this lucrative species. European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki had originally planned to propose a reduction to a maximum of 6,000 tons in 2011 against the 13,500 tons allowed this year. This would have meant a quota of just 70 tons for Maltese fishermen and would practically drive tuna fishermen out of business.

The numbers on the table now have not been disclosed.

As part of a four-year EU recovery plan, Malta’s quota was this year already reduced to 161 tons, down from more than 400 tons in 2007. Almost all the tuna fished or harvested in Malta is exported to Japan.