Mexico’s Vaquita Porpoise on the Brink as Illegal Fishing Bites Devdiscourse
go to original April 6, 2022

Save the Vaquita Marina - World's Most Endangered Marine Species (Eco Glo)

Three months after the Mexican government and a non-profit group launched a new campaign to save the vaquita porpoise, there has been little improvement in the marine mammal's chances of avoiding extinction, experts and local residents say.

In January, the Mexican Navy and NGO Sea Shepherd began "Operation Miracle" to protect the vaquita's reserve in the Sea of Cortes in northern Mexico the hope of saving the world's smallest cetacean, of which only handful are left in existence. With prominent backers such as Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and Mexico's richest man, Carlos Slim, the vaquita has become a symbol of global efforts to reverse the effects of overfishing and humanity's impact on nature.

But hopes among environmentalists and residents that those efforts are likely to help the porpoise are fading due to illegal fishing in the so-called refuge Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) where the remaining vaquita is believed to live. Zak Smith, a director of NGO Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), said there was always a "good story" to be told about what was being done for the vaquita. "And then as soon as the cameras go away or the interest of the parties fades, all of those efforts go back to where they were," he observed.

In the village of San Felipe in Baja California state, livelihoods have depended on fishing for generations. But climate change and the loss of local species has prompted debate about how to make fishing in the area sustainable. "Nothing has been done that really leads to a solution," said Capitan Cometa, a 49-year-old fisherman who did not want to reveal his name. He urged the government, activists and local residents to work more closely to raise awareness.

Read the rest at Devdiscourse

Related: Sightings of Vaquita Porpoises Kindle Hope For Endangered Species’ Rescue (Mexico News Daily)

Related: Experts Estimate Only 8 Endangered Vaquitas Remain in Mexico (Associated Press)

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