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Millions of tonnes of fish are being discarded by the fishing industry to keep within quotas.

As you'll notice if you catch the Politics Show this week, you'll see I have spent some of this week at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

It wasn't my strange idea of a political anorak's annual holiday, but an attempt to wrestle with the impact of the European Union on the region.

There will be much more of that next week.

But there is no doubting the influence the EU has had over our fishing industry, indeed some would argue that it has had a devastating impact.

Strict catch quotas have often made it hard for boats to make a living. But at the same time the restrictions haven't prevented further falls in fishing stocks.

And then there's the issue of fish discards.

Around one in ten fish caught are thrown back into the sea to avoid busting quotas even though they are already dead.

TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has been among those campaigning to get the practice banned.

And the EU Fisheries Commissioner has listened.

Maria Damanaki says she wants to see a total ban on discards by 2013, describing them as unethical.

But that is just the start. She has to get it past the various countries and interest groups first.

Chris Davies MEP says any reform to quotas must still protect fish stocks.

And already the lobbying is beginning. I met in Strasbourg. The Lib Dem has formed a group of MEPs called .

He does want to see a ban on discards, but worries that it might be used as an excuse for our already-depleted seas to be overfished.

He says any reform must also protect fish stocks for the good of the environment, but also ensure there is a sustainable future for fishing fleets across Europe.

But there is a further problem. Policing a ban on discards could be difficult.

Many fishermen dislike the practice, but if they had to count the discards in their quota, they could be forced to sell fish that are too small to have any value, or from species that people don't want to eat.

They might be tempted to continue to discard the low-value fish to avoid that.

So under the reform plan, CCTV could be installed on fishing boats to prevent any discards.

Chris Davies thinks it could work, as it is already being trialled in Scotland. He also thinks you could shift subsidies to avoid imposing extra costs on vessels.

But the plans are already worrying the fishing industry. They fear reform will just mean more bureaucracy and regulations, and less money. There is already a suggestion they could be forced to spend more time in port.

Many want quotas to end or at least be relaxed. But, of course, doing that might lead to the seas being denuded.

So while everyone agrees discarding tonne upon tonne of fish is unacceptable, getting unanimity on how to stop the practice could be more challenging.

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