BRUSSELS, June 9 (Reuter) - Plans to cut the European Union fishing fleet by up to 40 percent over the next six years are expected to raise a storm of protest at a meeting of fisheries ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, diplomats said. Britain, which last month warned it would veto reforms on the future shape of the European Union unless the bloc's fishing policies were overhauled, is set to lead the attack along with the Netherlands and Ireland. The issue is set to further inflame Britain's tempestuous relations with Europe, as London continues to disrupt EU business in its battle to end a worldwide ban on British beef. But diplomats said other countries, such as Spain, Portugal and Denmark, described by EU Fisheries Commissioner Emma Bonino as "good guys" for meeting previous EU fleet reduction targets, will also demand that the cuts should be eased. "The stocks situation is that dramatic, sharp fleet reductions are needed...it's an extremely sensitive subject," said an Italian EU Presidency diplomat. Boni

no, who presented the plans for a fourth multi-annual fleet reduction programme on May 29, stressed that drastic cuts were essential to enable theindustry to survive. But ministers, worried by a domestic political backlash, are expected to argue that stocks are not as catastrophic as scientists claim and that the cuts should be softened. Countries, which failed to meet 1992-96 reduction targets, would have to make up the backlog which means some having to halve fleet capacity by 2002. For instance, Britain is likely to fall up to 10 percent short of the 1992-96 reduction target, partly because of a legal wrangle over its "days at sea" scheme to curb fishing and partly due to reluctance to help fund an EU programme to lay up vessels. But British Fisheries Minister Tony Baldry has said Britain will not accept any further cutbacks until the problem of so-called quota hoppers is settled. There are an estimated 150 quota hoppers, mainly foreign owned and crewed Spanish and Dutch vessels, registered in Britain, ca

tching around 20 percent of Britain's fish quota for landing in other EU ports. For some fish species the quota hoppers' share is much greater. Spanish vessels take 46 percent of the British hake quota and Dutch boats 44 percent of the North Sea plaice quota. Tony Baldry told the British parliament on Wednesday that he said the "crazy situation" could not be allowed to continue. Ministers will try during talks over lunch on Monday to fix guidelines on the approach and period for the fleet cuts. Britain and the Netherlands favour a cut in "fishing effort" limiting the number of days vessels spent at sea, rather than a reduction in capacity, because this would allow vessels to benefit from any recovery in stocks. But others say the scheme would be too complicated. Ministers will also discuss economic and social measures to help fishermen adjust and debate whether the cutbacks should be spread over six years, instead of three, so as to ease the pain. The Commission, which has already held 35 regional meetings w

ith the fishing industry, plans to start bilateral talks with member states in mid-June on detailed national cutbacks with the aim of reaching overall agreement in the autumn.