The European Union plans to ban the landing of Icelandic mackerel in its ports in a dispute over what it sees as excessive catches.

The European Commission today told Iceland of its intent and will now work out how to enforce it.

The EU has long threatened to escalate the dispute, which might affect Reykjavik's EU membership application.

The EU maintains that Iceland catches disproportionate amounts of mackerel in northern waters, not only threatening the livelihoods of EU fishermen around the North Sea but also the commercial survival of the stock.