SADLY marine life is suffering many threats including ocean acidification and over-fishing. After a very detailed and expensive consultation (and a good campaign by a certain celebrity chef!), unfortunately the fisheries minister Richard Benyon is only proposing to protect 31 of the proposed 127 Marine Conservation Zones. As reported in the Echo on December 17 2012, wildlife experts locally are especially dismayed that Studland, a prime ecological site, has been dropped from the government’s list. A World Bank Report, Sunken Billions, concluded that an extra 50 billion US dollars’ worth of value could be added to fish stock each year with improved management; Norway, New Zealand and the US have improved their stocks.

SUSAN CHAPMAN, Parkwood Road, Southbourne