SALEM (AP) - A proposal to establish marine life preserves off the Oregon Coast is drawing the ire of some anglers, who fear that the creation of such reserves could place severe limits on fishing.

The reserves are intended to protect species that have been overfished in recent years, biologists say.

"Marine reserves are like creating a nursery," said Samantha Murray, marine specialist at the Audubon Society of Portland. "These marine reserves allow fish to get larger, produce more offspring and be more resistant to stresses, like starvation."

A bill under consideration in the state Senate would allow two state agencies to start the public process of creating marine reserves. But critics said the bill is vague, marine reserves alone can't turn around fish populations and current fish population data is lacking.

"Where there is reliable data and where there is in fact a problem, Oregon Anglers and other fishing groups will be right there trying to solve it," said Fred VanNatta, a lobbyist for the Oregon Anglers group, which has about 2,000 members. "But there is a lot of information to get out on the table to be looked at before it is exactly clear what is appropriate."

Without the marine reserves, conservationists say some fish populations could collapse. But sport fishermen said fishing limits could ruin a booming industry.

Jeff Feldner, a commercial crab and salmon fisherman from Newport, said that marine reserves can be a useful tool, particularly when exact fish population numbers are unavailable. But he said it is vital that fishermen help make the decisions about the size and placement of the reserves.

Several states already have set aside marine areas in the past decade, including California and Washington.

Hal Weeks, the marine habitat project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Newport, said scientists have a difficult time studying the ocean, which makes evaluating marine reserves difficult.

For example, there are 82 species of groundfish and only 25 are being assessed, he said.

Conservationists point to the decline of Oregon's groundfish populations as evidence that marine reserves are needed.

Seven of 12 groundfish populations that have been studied are closed to commercial fishing because they meet the federal definition of "overfished."

Fish declines prompted the federal government to buy 35 Oregon commercial fishing vessels to reduce the amount of fish caught. About 65 boats remain in Oregon.

Some of the commercial fishermen who are left said the many regulations in their industry amount to de-facto marine reserves.

"Fisherman are only allowed to fish when, where and how the agencies tell them to," said Glen Spain, Northwest regional director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, which represents commercial fisherman. "Permanent reserves can be a useful tool if properly done. But there is a lot of need for a real sound, hard analysis based on available science."