The European Union is considering slapping trade restrictions on farmed salmon imports from Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, diplomats said this evening.
They refused to give details on the nature of restrictions.
The EU executive Commission has closed its investigation into British and Irish complaints that cheap imports from across the globe were being dumped on the European market, putting domestic fish farmers out of business.
"The Commission has sent a proposal to member states," said an EU diplomat. "It contains measures that aim to decrease imports from third countries."
EU trade officials will meet next week to discuss the proposal but the European Commission can impose the trade restrictions under its own initiative.
European Commission trade spokeswoman Mr Arancha Gonzalez said an investigation opened in March had found a sudden and sharp rise in imports, fuelling the need for safeguard measures to protect domestic producers.
"The volume of imports increased by 12 percent last year and prices fell by 11 percent," she said, adding that salmon prices had fallen by nearly a third since 2000.