Vegetarian Star

Ted Danson has praised Belize for its recent ban on trawling, the practice of pulling a fishing net behind vessels, in the Carribean waters of the country. Trawling, which is categorized by bottom or midwater trawling, depending on where the net is placed, destroys coral reefs and Botton trawling is considered to be the most destructive.

“One of the world’s smallest nations has made a monumental decision for the oceans,” Danson wrote at the Huffington Post. “As of today, Belize is one of the first countries in the world to institute a complete and permanent ban on trawling in all of its waters.”

Belize is home to the Belize Barrier Reef, part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest coral reef system in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. These reef systems not only provide breath taking beauty for tourists looking to snorkel–they are a vital ecosystem of the earth.

According to the U.S Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, coral reefs supports more species than any other marine environment, including 4,000 species of fish.

Coral reef plants are also an interest to pharmaceutical companies interested in developing drugs to treat a variety of ailments, including cancer, arthritis and bacterial infections.

The ban went into effect December 31, 2010.

“Kudos to Belize, and here’s hoping that more countries follow its lead to reduce their destructive fishing footprint,” said Danson.

Photo: PR Photos

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