'Marine Bill would help preserve wildlife'

CONSERVATIONISTS are today making a top-level plea in their bid to protect East Yorkshire's unique marine wildlife.

Campaigners are appealing to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to urgently press ahead with the long-awaited Marine Bill.

The move will lead to the creation of marine conservation zones to protect the east coast from damaging activities, such as over-fishing.

Wildlife organisations are making the plea amid fears the Bill will be dropped from the next Queen's Speech due to competing Government priorities.

Alarm bells have already sounded about the threat to some of the region's best-loved seabirds, such as the puffin and kittiwake, a small type of gull.

The RSPB's seabird census at it's Bempton Cliffs Reserve, near Bridlington, this summer, revealed that both species were in decline.

Ian Kendall, reserve manager, said: "The Marine Bill would provide the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts with legislation to create marine conservation to protect our unique marine wildlife."

The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and World Wide Fund For Nature have been working on the Marine Bill campaign for more than six years.

Campaigners have provided evidence of the damage being done to Britain's marine environment and demonstrated the need for new legislation.

The Government has even admitted there is a need for the Bill, which has also won cross-party support.

Mr Kendall said: "A lot of time and money has been spent on the Bill and we want Mr Brown to make sure it is adopted in the next Queen's Speech."