Alliance backs WWF demands to protect local marine areas

11.24.29am GMT Tue 16th Jan 2007

Carrickfergus Alliance Councillor, Stewart Dickson

Alliance Environment Spokesperson Cllr Stewart Dickson has backed calls for more environmental protection to be provided for Larne Lough, Strangford Lough and Rathlin Island. The World Wildlife Fund today issued a report identifying these areas as being in urgent need of environmental protection provisions

The Carrickfergus Councillor and East Antrim representative said: "All these places are areas of real significance as regards tourism and the environment. Every effort must be made to protect them, and government must sit up and take notice of this World Wildlife Fund report.

"Larne Lough in particular is an area of special scientific interest.

"We need to see the creation of an independent Environmental Protection Agency as soon as possible so that they can clamp down on polluters. For years Alliance has campaigned for such an organisation and we will continue to do so until the issue is addressed.

"The DOE have singularly failed in their duty on these matters, so now is the time for government to wake up, make changes and take action.

"If we are to increase local tourism we must protect our national treasures, and the formation of an Environmental Protection Agency will help us to do that."

ENDS