Ecuador Banned Trawling Fishing to save the Bottom of the Ocean

Trawling Fishing Vessel

Ecuador with Venezuela and New Zealand are the only countries in the world to ban the use of giant nets by fishing vessels, which is called trawling; that is a destructive way of fishing by scraping the seabed, destroying the ecosystems that finds in its path. After the vessel’s catch anything that is not sell-able is wasted. Such nets have caused serious impacts worldwide, causing damage to several species such as dolphins, whales, and one of the most valuable ecosystem we have, which is the coral reef and all the species that depend on it.

What activities are most impacting to the sea:

• Garbage?
• Oil drilling?
• Submarine cables?
• Trawling?

Exactly!!, trawling is the most destructive activity taking place in the oceans.

Trawling Fishing Vessel

This new Law was approved in March 2012 and will come into effect in December 2012, with this action, Ecuador wants to open the door to sustainable fishing, selective, less shocking, and friendlier with the environment, that goes in concordance with the New Constitution of Ecuador of 2008. This new law is expected to promote artisan fishing that provides livelihood to thousands of families who depend on fishing.  Artisan fishermen way of fishing is less shocking because their nets are much smaller or use hooks. This will allow the ecuadorian seabed to recover from the impact of years of unsustainable fishing.

Good Policy for a world that is changing.

Trawling Fishing