Improving water quality in the Erne and Foyle water catchment areas was the priority matter discussed at the third meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council for the environment yesterday.
The North's Minister of the Environment, Mr Sam Foster, said the issue had to be tackled on a cross-Border basis because the environment did not recognise boundaries.
Speaking in the Belle Isle Estate, Co Fermanagh, he said farmers would be urged to comply with new controls.
"We are not laying down the big stick. We want to work with people, we want to encourage people to see how important it is pollution does not take place." The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said the importance of the work of the North/South Council in the sectoral format of Environment showed some issues have to be addressed jointly, irrespective of political differences.
He said co-operation was also needed to meet the criteria of the new EU Water Framework Directive.