An SOS- Save Our Seas

BRITAIN'S seas need urgent legal protection to stop the destruction of underwater habitats and preserve biodiversity, conservationists warn today. WWF-UK says seahorses, basking sharks, turtles and corals are among the species under threat from activities such as gravel extraction, dredging, unregulated fishing and offshore recreation. The campaign group is urging the government to introduce the marine bill it proposed earlier this year to protect the UK's marine ecosystems. The long-promised measure would cover the seas up to 200 miles from Britain's coasts. Separate legislation to protect Scotland's coastal waters up to 12 miles from the shore has been promised by the Scottish Government. A report by WWF said the bill - which would also cover inshore waters off England and Wales - would enable the creation of marine conservation zones to protect at-risk areas. These include Lyme Bay in Devon where corals such as the protected pink sea fan are under threat from scallop-dredging. Voluntary bans on activities such as dredging have not been successful in protecting these species, according to WWF's Can We Have The Bill Please report...