The United Bermuda Party has warned Government that overturning a ban on fish pots would be a "calamity'' for the Island's coral reefs.

Opposition MPs spoke out yesterday after Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson said fishpots, which were banned in 1990, could be reintroduced if scientific studies showed the fish stocks were stabilising.

Smith's North MP Allan Marshall said the combination of a reintroduction of fish pots and the threat caused to the reefs by sewage discharges could be disastrous for the Island.

Mr. Marshall said Jamaica had lost 94 percent of its coral reefs -- an ecological calamity catalysed by overfishing.

The grazers, which were overfished, helped keep seaweed at bay from the reefs, which require sunlight and clean, warm water.

Mr. Marshall said: "Any threat to our grazer fish, like parrot fish, is a threat to the reef, so when I hear the comment from the minister that with the Bermuda Industrial Union membership of fishermen considering a policy of bringing back fish pots if the scientific studies show the stocks are stabilising, that is disturbing to me.'' Earlier, Shadow Environment Minister Gary Pitman said he would be happy for the fish pots ban to be ad infinitum.

He said 70 percent of fishermen were against a reintroduction of fish pots.

He said even countries such as Canada could not provide an accurate fish census of salmon swimming up river, so Bermuda could not reliably measure the Island's fish stocks.

"With the overwhelming objection of fishermen, why is the Minister still trying to keep the door open? We cannot play games with the health of our coral reefs by reintroducing fish pots.'' PLP backbencher Elvin James said Government should consider an amnesty on the fish pot ban to allow the illegal pots still out on the reef to be removed.

See Page 4 for extensive coverage of yesterday's debate