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The little cow is arguably the world’s rarest – and the world’s most endangered species. The vaquita is a small one porpoise which mainly lives in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. In 2019, scientists estimated that only 10 vaquitas lived in the wild. In November, they conducted another survey, fearing the animal might become extinct.
To their surprise, the vaquita was still there. Their numbers are still declining, but other endangered species are able to bounce back from similar evolutionary cliffs. However, time is running out.
Vaquitas do not disappear due to natural causes. In 1997 their population numbered 600, but due to illegal fishing in the northern Gulf of California, the species is nearly extinct. Between 2011 and 2016, the vaquita population decreased by 90%.
The main obstacle to the survival of the vaquitas is the gillnets used in illegal fishing practices. The nets hang below the surface of the water. They drop six meters and some are as wide as a football field. For a vaquita, this wall of mesh is deadly. They get entangled in the nets and drown. These nets are also the only documented reason for the population decline of the vaquitas.
The only way for the vaquita to survive is to ensure that their habitat is free of gillnets.
Yet this is not as simple as pulling the nets out of the oceans. Many families in Mexico only live on the income they get from illegal fishing. Despite the ban on gillnets in a seven-mile area in the northern Gulf of California, none of the rules are enforced. During the November investigation, investigators spotted more than 100 boats illegally fishing with gillnets in the restricted area.
Some advocacy groups have patrolled the region and removed unattended nets. However, the conflicts between the interest groups and fishermen have become deadly and have therefore caused much animosity between the fishermen and conservationists.
The secondary character in this conflict is the also endangered Totoaba. This fish is a large and extremely expensive rare fish that only lives in the Gulf of California. The fish sells for between $20,000 and $80,000 per kilogram, but its bladder is the most sought-after.
The bladder of the totaba, which is used in a Chinese soup called fish maw, is said to have medicinal properties, including the ability to increase fertility. In China, this soup, and in turn the totoaba bladder, is incredibly valuable.
But how is the totoaba related to the vaquitas?
The illegal fishing in the Gulf of California is basically poaching. The fishermen are actually looking for the rare totoaba to sell its bladder to Chinese merchants. The gillnets that are so dangerous to the vaquita are the best nets for catching totoaba.
So, how do we protect the nearly extinct vaquita?
This requires political action. This year, Mexico arrested six people in connection with totoaba poaching. The United States has banned all seafood from the northern Gulf of California. Further political action could help protect the vaquita.
Some shrimp fishermen also intervene, hoping to save some of their heritage. These fishermen use alternative fishing methods or other nets that are less likely to become entangled in vaquitas. However, due to the lower fish yield, these fishermen have difficulty making a living from their catch.
By paying more attention to this issue, urging the international community to curb the totoaba bladder market, demanding political action, and considering your own choices when shopping for seafood, the vaquitas could have a chance at survival.
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