e world’s rarest marine mammal has not experienced a decline in its population since October 2021.
The vaquita, native to Mexico’s Gulf of California, has faced severe threats from illegal fishing, prompting Mexico’s government to face mounting pressure to address this issue. In 2018, biologists estimated that there were only around 20 or fewer vaquitas remaining, and concerns were raised that more individuals were dying in nets each year than being born.
However, Sea Shepherd’s recent surveillance mission revealed the sighting of approximately a dozen healthy-looking vaquitas, including calves, which is a similar estimate to the previous survey conducted in October 2021.
The organization’s report also highlighted a significant decrease of over 90% in the number of fishing boats operating in the vaquita’s habitat. This decline in boat activity is attributed to enhanced coordination by the Mexican Navy within the designated Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA).
Sea Shepherd’s report considers these findings to be the most encouraging news regarding human intervention in saving the vaquitas. The successful countermeasure against trawling involved the placement of 193 concrete blocks within close proximity in the ZTA, as explained by navy official Captain Juan Luis Miraflores.
Sea Shepherd’s collaboration with official bodies, including Mexico’s navy, has played a crucial role in strengthening vaquita conservation efforts and sharing information about illegal fishing practices.
While celebrating these achievements, lead researcher Barbara Taylor emphasized the need for continued conservation efforts. She commended the initiatives undertaken by the navy as a “huge success” but stressed that further action was necessary to ensure the vaquitas’ recovery.
Taylor also emphasized the importance of implementing policies to support the livelihoods of local communities, enabling them to transition away from fishing practices that harm vaquitas.
In late May, the US Interior Secretary declared that Mexico had failed to effectively address the illegal wildlife trade threatening the vaquita, potentially leading to a trade embargo.
The findings by Sea Shepherd offer a glimmer of hope for the survival of the vaquita porpoise, emphasizing the importance of ongoing conservation measures and international collaboration to protect this critically endangered species.