Belize banishes destructive Trawling

One of the world's smallest nations has made a monumental decision for the oceans. As of today, Belize is one of the first countries in the world toinstitute a complete and permanent ban on trawling in all of its waters.

Bottom trawling is one of the most destructive fishing methods in existence. Bottom trawlers are equipped with massive, weighted nets that effectively clear-cut the ocean floor, destroying sensitive coral communities and anything else in their path.

Meanwhile, shrimp trawls -- which were operating in Belize until now -- operate in midwater, so they pose a different threat. They catch more untargeted species, or bycatch, than almost any other kind of fishing gear. Thousands of sea turtles, marine mammals and untargeted fish are caught in shrimp trawlers around the world every year.

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Great Bear Rainforest receives global attention

Hundreds of Belizians and international supporters gather on an island to form an environmental message on the Barrier Reef off the coast of Belize City.

Millions of U.S.TVviewers will gain insight today into the protection of B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest when they see an hour-long documentary, Harmony, based on the global conservation efforts of Prince Charles.

Photograph by: Lou Dematteis, Reuters, Vancouver Sun

While the heir to the British throne takes viewers around the world to look at sustainability issues, the Great Bear Rainforest is his only Canadian focus.

"I've very pleased," said Valerie Langer of ForestEthics, among the conservation groups that worked with government, industry, and aboriginals to forge an agreement over sustainable development and conservation on B.C.'s central and north coast in 2006.

"It's about the need to work together with uncommon bedfellows."

Langer watched the film at a special screening Monday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., along with dignitaries such as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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Great Bear Rainforest receives global attention

Demonstrators spotlight the end of coral reefs in Belize

Hundreds of international supporters gather to form a human banner asking if the end is near for the Belize and other endangered coral reefs around the world, on an island on the Belizian Barrier Reef off the coast of Belize City, Belize, on November 13, 2010. 


The action was on the final day of the three-day Belize Reef Summit which urged global leaders to take strong action at the upcoming U.N Climate Talks in Cancun, Mexico. 


UPI/Lou Dematteis/Spectral Q