Scientists and Government are to fight for the rights of Bermuda fishermen ensuring the industry is not squeezed by international competition.

Next month Britain will join an international commission in charge of dishing out quotas and managing stocks of Atlantic tuna.

Bermuda, as a dependent territory, will be dragged into complying with the commission's rules and will have to bargain to ensure it gets a fair quota and does not lose out to larger fishing nations.

"We intend to try and negotiate a policy for the exploitation of the resources we have. These are our fish -- we should have the first crack before someone else comes along and takes them off us.

"There is no quota at the moment because we are not members of the commission,'' said Mr. John Barnes, director of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Parks.

A UN convention called the Law of the Sea passes management of fish stocks to regional bodies - such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic tuna.

ICCAT sets quota limits, based on scientific information, and Britain is about to join the organisation -- netting Bermuda as one of its dependent colonies.

It will enlist during a week's meeting from November 10 and Bermuda will be represented by the Environment Minister, the Hon. Tim Smith.

Data exists about eastern Atlantic tuna, but little exists about the western part and scientists are working with local fishermen to build up a picture of stocks to use as a bargaining point.

Although quotas only currently exist for bluefin tuna and swordfish, it is feared Bermuda's main catches -- yellowfin tuna and wahoo -- could soon be included in quotas.

Mr. Barnes also believes there is huge potential to catch more swordfish and will use the statistics to back up his arguments and ensure Bermuda gets good quotas.

"Very little is known about yellowfin stocks in the western Atlantic and a lot of ICCAT's recommendations and findings are based on research carried out elsewhere -- primarily in the eastern Atlantic.

"Some of this scientific research is of dubious quality and you cannot say that something that happens off Africa affects Bermuda,'' said Mr. Barnes.

"Local fishermen are co-operating and providing us with the ammunition so we can ensure they can continue to fish at reasonable levels.'' It is possible that if Bermuda is not included in quotas, fishermen may not be able to fish at all.

There are more than 300 licensed commercial fishermen in Bermuda, of which more than 70 earn their living from the trade and another 50 who are part-time.

Annually the industry is worth about $3 million, but Mr. Barnes believes there is considerable room to develop an export market, especially to North America.

"It is an important domestic industry, but there is a finite market in Bermuda yet we are on the threshold of an infinite market. There is a lot of potential for overseas markets,'' said Mr. Barnes.