To further protect the Vaquita porpoise, the world’s most endangered marine mammal, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) and the Mexican government signed an agreement on 3rd October to expand Operation Milagro’s “zero tolerance zone” by 60%. This zone, established by UNESCO in the Gulf of California, is completely closed to fishing.
The vaquita is an endemic species of porpoise found only in a small region in Mexico’s Upper Gulf of California. Illegal fishing is responsible for the decline of this species, whose numbers have plummeted to fewer than 20 individuals.
This extension aims to protect another endangered species, the totoaba. The totoaba is a fish that is poached for its swim bladder. It can sell for up to $10,000 in Asia. Between 2017 and 2022, 10 tonnes of this species will be seized by Mexican customs.
To find out more about traffic with the TOTOABA, click here to read an article we wrote some time ago.
Source : Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
