SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CMC) — A leading supermarket chain has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of not eating the parrotfish.

The parrotfish — that plays an estimable part in the process of sand formation, is widely eaten across the region and environmentalists have voiced concern about the dwindling population.

The campaign is focusing on beaches all over the country with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, which has introduced a formal ban on the consumption of the parrotfish and other marine species.

Parrotfish feed on seaweed from coral reefs and grind it up as part of the digestion process before defecating it in the form of sand. Just one parrotfish can produce up to 220 pounds of sand every year.

“If we go on eating this fish we will no longer have any beaches, and without beaches there is no tourism,” said a release from Jumbo.

The supermarket chain said that during the Easter season they want to take the message even further because it is the time of year when a lot of fish is traditionally eaten and large numbers of people go to the beach.

The statement said teams organised by the company and the Environment Ministry will be travelling to coastal areas all around the country along with a group of artists who will draw giant messages in the sand asking the public not to eat or sell parrotfish.

Using the #LasPlayasHablan (the beaches speak) hashtag, the initiative is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of protecting this fish species by encouraging everyone to be concerned about the environment and to unite for a cause aimed at conserving the sand that makes up our country’s beaches.