Yesterday marked the end of an era for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries as the Government Department was legally split in two and renamed.

Senators passed The Department of Agricultural and Fisheries (Reorganisation) Act 2002, officially renaming the office which has been in existence as the Department of Agriculture for more than a hundred years.

A former Director of the Department, Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes, yesterday lamented the name change saying it felt a bit as if he was attending a funeral.

"The name has not changed in 100 years...and until the day I die I will call it the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries."

But he also admitted that the function of the office has changed considerably over the years and that the new heading better reflects the work done by the two Departments.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, which dissolved on April 1, has been split into two and is now known as the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Environmental Services.

Government Senator Michael Scott said, along with the name change, extensive restructuring was being done to ensure that there would be no interruptions in services provided.

He discussed the various responsibilities of the Departments as well as programmes that will be implemented.

Opposition Senator Kim Swan said his party had no objections to the bill, but stressed that it was important for parts of Bermuda's culture and history to be kept in the forefront of the Departments' commitment to the environment.

He said he hoped the `out of sight, out of mind' adage would not apply to the newly named Departments. "The fishermen and farmers are no different than other business people.

"The way that fishermen have made a living has been challenged over the years. The well-being of people in the industry must be kept to the forefront," he said.

Government Senator Victoria Pearman encouraged people to see the change not as a time to mourn, but as a time "to celebrate a resurrection".

"Renaming the Department is more in keeping with the goals in these areas," she said.

The bill passed with two minor amendments replacing the word `agriculture' with `environmental protection'.