Wildlife campaigners are calling for measures to protect sea turtles, cahows and other creatures potentially at risk from long-line fishing vessels.

The Ministry of Environment is currently considering bringing the commercial practice ? which involves hanging hundreds of baited hooks from a huge line ? to Bermuda.

The American-based long-line fishing vessel Eagle Eye II is to spend the next two months in the Island?s waterways as the Government assesses the economic viability of the practice.

Fishermen have backed the move and claim it will boost the fishing industry. They say long-line fishing should have been brought to the Island years ago.

However, environmentalists across the world campaign against it, stating that many animals fall victim to ?by-catching? when they accidentally get caught on the line?s hooks.

In water surrounding Bermuda, it is feared sea turtles, cahows and even dolphins could be in danger of by-catching even if long-line fishing targets mainly tuna and swordfish.

Environmentalists are calling for the Government to ensure methods to protect such species are in place if the practice is introduced.

Andrew Dobson, former president of Bermuda Audubon Society, said more than 300,000 seabirds are killed across the world each year as a result of long-line fishing.

Mr. Dobson said he would be get in touch with Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield over the issue.

?I?m very concerned that the Government has done its homework on what effect long-line fishing can have on birdlife in particular.

?I shall be contacting Ms Butterfield to fully brief her on the problem as I see it.?According to Mr. Dobson, birds can be protected by adding plastic streamers behind the boat to scare them away. He said weights can also be added to the baits so that they sink quickly, before the bird gets a chance to swoop. Fishing trips can also be made at night, when it is too dark for the bird to see the bait.

?The practice in general is not a good one,? he added. ?Certainly it shouldn?t be done unless these measures are put in place.?

Stuart Hayward, chairman of the environmental group ECO, said long-line fishing could be a threat to species including sea turtles and cahows. Mr. Hayward warned Government to avoid concentrating on expanding the economy at the expense of the environment.

He said: ?I?m not ready to blanket oppose this, but it?s something we want to have a full picture on before we embrace it as a local practice. To ignore the environment and concentrate on the economy is to act as though we don?t depend on the environment. But everything we get is provided by the environment.?

A spokeswoman for the Bermuda National Trust also urged caution. She said: ?We welcome any endeavour that looks at sustainable uses of local resources for the benefit of Bermuda.

?However, we would hope that an independent observer be present to assess any impacts on non-target species (by catch).

?Of particular concern locally are endangered sea turtles, which reside both in our waters and have migratory routes off shore. A second species of concern are dolphins, which have also recently been recognised as occurring in Bermuda?s waters and, in fact, within the 200-mile marine sanctuary.?

Fisherman Danny Farias said the scheme would help people take advantage of a strong migration of yellow-fin tunas heading through the Island?s water. ?This would certainly be a good thing ? it?s something which should have been done years ago,? he said.

However, he said measures needed to be taken to avoid threatening the livelihood of small fishermen who may not be able to compete with long-line vessels. Ms Butterfield has said the Eagle Eye II mission will give Bermudian fishermen the chance to learn new techniques that can help expand the local fishing industry and get more young Bermudians involved in fishing.