BOAT manufacturers and marina bosses across the South are being urged to unite to help the industry implement and profit from new environmental legislation.

New rules are expected to call for the mandatory fitting of sewage holding tanks to boats to prevent users from discharging toilet waste directly into coastal waters. At present the tanks are optional.

Waste stored aboard each boat could then pumped out at marinas, boatyards and quays instead of being dumped in local harbours or off the beaches.

At present boat manufacturers must allow sufficient space on new vessels for a holding tank to be added as an optional extra or retrofitted in future.

Obligatory fitting of holding tanks is the next logical step but there must be enough pump-out sites to match demand from the growing number of boats being fitted with holding tanks.

The campaign is being led locally by British Marine Federation Wessex chairman James Sydenham, the manager of Salterns Marina, Poole.

Mr Sydenham has lived and worked in Poole all his life and is anxious to protect the harbour. Salterns has already earmarked £8,000 in its 2002/3 budget for a new holding tank pump-out facility.

"There's no point manufacturers putting in holding tanks if the owners can't get them pumped out anywhere. BMF Wessex wants manufacturers and marinas to work together on this," he said.

Protecting environmentally-sensitive areas such as Poole Harbour would not just enhance quality of life, it made economic sense as well because of the importance of the area's marine leisure industry, he added.

l Go Boating Free - the BMF Wessex weekend to encourage people to take to the water - takes place on Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 (10am-4pm) at Dolphin Quay, Poole Quay. Details, BMF 01784 472222 or www.pooletourism.com.