European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said she would act on the regulations, which mean skippers are forced to throw away some fish to meet strict quota rules.
Scotland's Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead has warned that an estimated £1 billion-worth of fish could be wastefully thrown back dead into the sea by the combined European fleet in the next decade unless major changes are agreed.
Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall, who garnered support through an internet campaign, Hugh's Fish Fight, protested outside the European Fisheries Council offices in Brussels yesterday.
Later, he said: "I'm coming back on the Eurostar and it's been a satisfying day. Discard disaster has been averted as the French (Spanish, Portuguese and Belgian) revolution just didn't happen. Maria Damanaki led from the front and seems to be building consensus among the ministers.
"Everyone agreed the amazing Twitter and Facebook activity over the weekend made a real difference. It put ministers on the spot and made them focus on the European citizens they represent – including of course three-quarters of a million Fish Fighters. Thank you so much for your support. It really has hit the spot. It won't be the last time we call on you I'm sure. I'm going to have a cold Belgian beer now and toast you all."
Current EU regulations mean that once fishermen reach their quota limit or accidentally catch any species they are not licensed to fish, they must throw the excess stock back.
Mr Lochhead said: "The mad-ness of fish discards – where a perfectly good food source is thrown dead overboard – was for decades Europe's secret shame. It is therefore significant that the scandal is now centre stage, with the fishermen and the public demanding action.
"I'm pleased Commissioner Damanaki has set out a sensible way ahead, which I hope leads to the problem finally being addressed, with effective and enforceable measures brought forward that we can sign up to by the summer.
"It's absurd EU fishermen have to discard up to a million tonnes of fish each and every year, otherwise they are deemed law breakers under the perverse Common Fisheries Policy."
