What's the best way to save our seas?

According to Greenpeace and the Wildlife Trusts, the North Sea is under threat from problems including overfishing, pollution and climate change.

Now the Wildlife Trusts, the umbrella organisation for all wildlife trusts, is calling for the Government to produce a marine protection Bill and add to the three existing national marine nature reserves, all in southern England.

And Greenpeace has suggested 17 reserves off the UK, Scandinavia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, which would mean that forty per cent of the North Sea would be protected, increasing safeguards for the likes of mackerel, cod, whiting and large predators such as white-sided dolphins and harbour porpoises.

Two of the proposed reserves would be Cromarty, stretching far out to sea from northern Scotland down as far as the North-East, and Dogger Bank, off the Humber. Within them, human activity would be strictly limited, if not banned altogether.

Not everyone agrees:

THE FISHERMEN

DOUG Beveridge, assistant chief executive of the National Federation of Fisherman's Organisations (NFFO), which represents sea fishermen, says existing research is inadequate to prove that species are disappearing due to over- fishing.

He believes the research, including that on which the European Commission bases its fisheries policy, does not take factors such as fish migration into account, giving a misleading impression of plummeting fish stocks which drives the EU's desire to significantly reduce catches.

He says blaming fishermen is simplistic, pointing out that cod may be disappearing because North Sea water temperatures are rising due to climate changes, forcing the fish to migrate elsewhere in search of cooler waters.

The NFFO is working with the Government on fresh research off the North-East coast and Mr Beveridge says: "We have impacted on the fish, we do not deny it. We catch food that the consumer wants, but there is also a changing mix of species in the North Sea.

"The issue is not quite as simple as it is presented. The European Union fisheries management regime is inflexible and is trying to applying a one-size-fits all approach. We need to have a greater understanding of the impact of Man on the food web."

Mr Beveridge, who says the industry is researching ways of improving nets so they were more environmentally-friendly, adds: "Greenpeace engages in sound-bite propaganda. Fishermen want a healthy marine environment more than anyone because we depend on it for our living but we do not agree with the idea of marine reserves because the fish will migrate. We need more flexible solutions."

THE FARMERS

FARMERS stand accused of polluting the North Sea with nutrient-rich fertiliser, which runs off fields into becks and rivers and works its way to the sea to cause algae build-ups which starve the water of oxygen.

The Government recently launched consultation with farmers on the subject and English Nature highlighted potentially at-risk areas including Teesmouth and parts of the Cleveland, Durham and Northumberland coasts.

Environment Minister Elliot Morley says farming is not the only cause - he also cites forestry, industrial land use, construction, urbanisation, transport and recreation - but concludes: "As we reduce other sources of pollution, so agriculture becomes a comparatively greater source of pollution."

Maeve Whyte, National Farmers' Union policy advisor, says: "This is high on the National Farmers' Union agenda and has been for years. It is an issue we have been coming to terms with for a long time and the farmers are making excellent progress."

But she says there is little point introducing across-the-board legislation, adding: "We believe the only way to tackle this is in a very localised way and people are realising this. There is no point in having an overall standard because every area differs, across the member states of the EU and the UK. We know there is a problem and we need to make farmers aware of good practice. Farmers have taken great strides to eradicate the problem but there is no quick-fix."

BUSINESS

ENVIRONMENTALISTS say industrial pollution is still too high but Matthew Farrow, head of environment for employer's organisation the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), points to industrial sulphur dioxide emissions 90 per cent down on 1970 levels, volatile organic compounds and nitrous oxide down a third and dioxins down 70 per cent, as examples of progress.

He says: "There has been strong and persistent improvement in industrial pollution levels over the past 30 years. But although there has been huge progress, business is not complacent. Everyone wants a higher quality of environment and business realises it has to continue improving performance.

"Where we do have concerns is where regulations are over-complicated and of no environmental benefit but tie businesses up with red tape."

THE GOVERNMENT

A DEFRA spokesman says the UK has supported, and is experimenting with, areas closed to fishing but that the environmental benefits of restricted areas like marine reserves remain to be proved.

He says the EU has established regional advisory boards to gauge the views of environmental groups, fishermen and others in fisheries management, the first one of which covers the North Sea.

The spokesman says changes to the European Common Fisheries Policy to reduce catches were working, adding: "The key element is to reduce fishing pressure on the threatened stocks. Some stocks, such as shellfish generally and North Sea haddock and herring, are doing well."

The environmentalists, however, believe more drastic action is needed. Wildlife Trusts' head of marine policy Joan Edwards says: "On land we have triple SSSIs and Special Nature Reserves but there are only three UK marine nature reserves. We would like to see more protected areas."

And Greenpeace campaigner Oliver Knowles says: "The North Sea is facing a crisis. Fish stocks are crashing, and global warming and pollution are disrupting its delicate ecosystem. Continuing with business as usual is simply not an option."