BRUSSELS, Dec 22 (Reuter) - European Union fisheries ministers agreed early on Friday after all-nght talks to take account of fishing industry needs and soften proposals for sharp cuts in 1996 quotas aimed at protecting dwindling stocks. "It was a laborious, detailed and difficult exercise," a weary Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Atienza told a news conference after the 14-hours meeting. "We have achieved a balance between reasonably sustainable fishing and socio-economic concerns...," added Atienza, outgoing president of the EU fisheries council. But EU Fisheries Commissioner Emma Bonino said she would have preferred more courageous action to protect stocks. "The final compromise of conservation measures was not totally satisfactory," she said. "We must focus more and more on stocks and conservation if we want to guarantee future sustainable fishing." The executive European Commission proposed cuts of up to 50 percent in 1996 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) after severe warnings from fisheries scientists

of the potential collapse of some plaice, hake, herring and other stocks. But Britain and other major fishing countries protested that for some species, notably in the EU's western waters, the cuts were based on incomplete data and would force thousands of fishermen out of work. British Fisheries Minister Tony Baldry, anxious to erase memories of a humiliating government parliamentary defeat over EU fishing policy, said he had won an extra 50,000 tonnes of fish measured in terms of high value cod, worth more than 30 million to the fishing industry. He estimated it represented a 10 percent improvement over the Commission's proposals and would benefit fishermen all over Britain. Britain said it will gain an extra 12,700 tonnes of herring, 6,100 tonnes of plaice, 4,700 tonnes of whiting and 345 tonnes of sole. But the key overall North Sea plaice TAC was slashed to 78,000 tonnes, from 115,000 tonnes in 1995. Scientists had advised a cut to 61,000 tonnes. Northern stock hake quotas, important for Spanish and Fre

nch fishermen, were fixed at nearly 29,000 tonnes, against scientific advice of 24,000 tonnes and last year's 31,000 tonnes. The important North Sea cod TAC was increased to 130,000 tonnes, from 120,000 tonnes in 1995 and the North Sea haddock quota was left at 120,000 tonnes. But the North Sea sole TAC, which is linked to that for plaice, was cut sharply to 23,000 tonnes, from 30,000 tonnes in 1995. "It's a difficult balance to strike between ensuring maximum catches next year and sustainable stocks in the years to come," Baldry said.