A warning was sounded over the survival of fish stocks as Government marine policy comes under review.

Stark figures of fish numbers before and after the fish pot ban show a healthy growth of some species, without the threat of being indiscriminately caught in the traps.

And fisheries experts, speaking at the Friends of the Fish conference last week, urged Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson to tread carefully as he reviews marine resources.

Previously, Mr. Hodgson would not commit himself on any possible outcome of the Green Paper, Marine Resources and the Fishing Industry, especially in relation to the fish pot ban.

Senior Fisheries Officer Brian Luckhurst stressed that his statistics did not prove a relationship between a fish pot ban, but pointed towards one.

"It is clear that a precautionary approach should be taken in the management of coral reef resources,'' he said.

"Every effort should be made. We should strive for a balance of species, which we are doing through effective fisheries management.'' Speakers at the conference, held at Bermuda College, raised issues ranging from coral reefs, fish stocks, tourism, cruise ships and pollution.

Dr. Luckhurst said certain species of Bermuda fish were more vulnerable to fish pots than others.

Parrot fish, which were the largest single species caught in pots, were far more susceptible to traps than hook and line, whereas coneys were equally at risk from both.

Since 1990 -- when fish pots were banned -- parrot fish numbers have increased steadily from a point where they were in decline.

During the same period, coneys have declined.

And from 1975 to 1989, grouper stocks deteriorated from making up 47 percent of total landings to 18 percent. From 1975 to 1992, the total weight caught went from 200,000 kilograms to 50,000 kilograms.

Dr. Luckhurst added that even when they were caught, parrot fish had to be filleted because they could not be sold whole. But, he said, their value was far greater as a tourist attraction than food.

The Minister told the 300-strong audience that there were no quick solutions to the issues facing the marine environment, but added he was keen to have a consensus for his Green Paper, which is due to be finalised soon.

Dr. Wolfgang Sterrer, Curator of the Natural History Museum, and Dr. Robbie Smith, of the Bermuda Biological Station for Research, both stressed the potential dangers facing the Island's coral reefs.

Dr. Smith said site surveys had shown that coral coverage had not changed since 1993, but he called for the expansion of long-term studies.

In addition, he said the location and number of protected reef areas should be looked at.

Cruise ships should pay more -- possibly via an environmental levy -- towards the cost of sewage disposal and also toward the renewal of dockside facilities, said Wayne Carey, of the National Trust Marine Environmental Committee.

Up to 60 percent of the untreated sewage which comes on the Island comes from cruise ships, he said.

He called for a Clean Water Act, which could address issues such as dockside cleaning, bilge pumping and sewage.

Other speakers, including Dr. Edward Towle of the Washington DC-based Island Resource Foundation, spoke of the delicate balance of Bermuda's marine resources, and the need to protect it as the most northerly coral reef formation in the world.