In Gladden Spit, Belize the unregulated fishing of snapper and grouper before they could reproduce led to steep declines in their populations and drove away the whale sharks. Local officials created a sanctuary, Gladden Spit Marine Reserve, and began carefully monitoring the catch. Within a few years the fishery rebounded. And then the whale sharks returned and with them came a new source of income -- eco-tourism.
Matt Damon hosts "The State of the Planet's Oceans" as award-winning filmmakers Hal and Marilyn Weiner investigate the health and sustainability of the world's oceans and the issues affecting marine preserves, fisheries, and coastal ecosystems worldwide.
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