Multiple pressures on the world's coral reefs is akin to the sea "being pecked to death by chickens" an audience at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research was told recently.

Despite the global pressures however, Bermuda's coral reefs are "reasonably healthy." And while the jury's still out, scientists are not yet able to definitively establish whether the fish-pot ban and other marine conservation measures are working.

At a presentation entitled "Coral Reefs :What's Going On ?" Scientists Drs. Robbie Smith and Shane Patterson gave brief overviews of their work around Island waters and the state of coral reefs globally.

"We're basically at war with the sea, and at war with nature," said Dr. Patterson as he outlined the human induced and natural pressures faced by the sea.

A fish expert, Dr. Patterson has recently joined a local team of scientists to study Bermuda's reef fishes.

He said that the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPA), no-take zones, is critical in reversing the effects of over-fishing. But much depends on the involvement of the local population.

"They actually work . . . but MPAs are most successful when local people are involved. It's going to be up to Bermudians to police themselves. Any MPA without local involvement is doomed to failure."

Bermuda has 29 MPAs - 10 of them were designated in the 1990, at the same time as the controversial fish pot ban, and the rest were established in May last year.

Dr. Patterson said that studies had shown no significant differences in terms of fish life between MPAs and adjacent sites that were not protected.

"It doesn't mean no take zones are failing," he cautioned. "It may take many years for recovery of fisheries stocks."

Dr. Robbie Smith - who is conducting a long term study of Bermuda's reefs - said that they are subject to a multitude of natural and human induced stresses.

The coral coverage on the reefs has remained unchanged since 1993, he said.

While the health of reefs globally is declining, "coral reefs in the North Shore are pretty healthy," he said.