Will Polish claims to south Baltic waters turn out as simply a red herring?

According to the European Commission, the waters of the south Baltic Sea, currently reserved for Polish fishing companies, should be opened for EU members Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Germany. In return, Poland would have access to the rest of the Baltic Sea. The south Baltic waters, however, abound with the tastiest fish, among them sprats and Polish herring (shorter and less fatty than northern varieties). 'We will not share our herring with anybody. We have the best place for fishing,' say Polish negotiators. There is a risk that after opening the waters to EU fishers, Polish companies currently supplying 80% of the national herring market could not endure the competition. Poland would also have to grant access to Russia, Canada, Korea, and the USA. The issue of Poland's Baltic fishing territories is the only bone of contention in this area of negotiations. Poland has already agreed to reduce its fleet by 30% before 2006, modernize its ships, and supply them with a satellite system measuring the amount of fish caught. The EU is prepared to pay euro 150 million to the support the Polish fishing industry. (Rzeczpospolita, page B2) J.K.