It sounds like gooseberry rust, which is caused by a fungus that lives
on sedges in winter and gooseberries in spring/summer.

You can't cure it but can try to prevent it next year by getting rid
of any sedges in your garden.  If your garden is downwind of sedges
growing elsewhere, then you'll have the problem again, so you could
spray the gooseberries with a fungicide to try preventing the rust.
There are general purpose sulphur dusts, or a specific one containing
mancozeb that stops the fungal spores germinating.  You'd have to
spray before flowering begins.  Bayer sell Dithane (see their website
for details - http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/products/product.aspx?productid=2&catego...)
- you'll also need to read the pack information carefully.

Good luck!

Val