Spain on Monday called for sustainable fishery policy in the European Union (EU) ahead of an informal meeting of EU fishery ministers.

EU countries should adapt their fishery policies to meet new requirements based on environment protection, Elena Espinosa Mangana, Spanish minister of environment, agriculture and marine, said on the official website of the EU's Spanish Presidency.

With fishing stocks depleted by overfishing in many areas, the talks held in the Spanish city of La Coruna are bound to focus on sustainability.

"When we talk about sustainability, we are not only talking in environmental terms, but also in terms of economic and social sustainability," she said.

"Our experience in Spain has shown us that if we protect resources, we can continue to fish for many more years. We want the European Union to act as a mirror in which other countries and economic blocks can see themselves reflected and learn from our example," Espinosa said before advocating an end to the current quota system.