The last official estimate puts the vaquita population at 250 individuals. In 2010 there were three documented vaquita deaths, but on a positive note just a few days ago nine vaquitas were spotted off Rocas Consag. So is the vaquita better off today?

Shrimp fishing in the Upper Gulf of California began on Tuesday September 20th. It is estimated that 46,000 people depend on this activity and are hoping this turns out to be a good season. El Golfo de Santa Clara is expected to produce over 550 tons of shrimp, while San Felipe’s fleet is hoping to reach at least 310 tons. These volumes are based on past productions and do not include the trawling fleet’s catch volumes.

The Upper Gulf’s shrimp is known for its quality and size, making it a popular item among high-end restaurants. This is also the main reason why most of what is produced here is exported and usually has a good price.

During the 2009-2010 season opening price was set at $100 pesos/kg and reached $170 pesos/kg. The 2010-2011 season prices did not disappoint with prices ranging
from $160 – $220 pesos/kg.

So, the next six months fishermen will be busy travelling back and forth in an effort to bring home as much income as possible. Around 674 pangas will be fishing for shrimp this year. El Golfo de Santa Clara has the largest fleet with 423 authorized pangas, followed by San Felipe with 238 pangas and 8 boats. Puerto Peñasco has the least number of permits for pangas with 13, however 64 boats from their trawling fleet are allowed to fish in the region.

I wish I knew whether or not the vaquita was better off today; however after realizing how
much everything has changed since 2007, I remain optimistic.

Two weeks ago I visited El Golfo de Santa Clara and saw the usual sights of fishermen readying their fishing gear for the upcoming shrimp season. It is obvious this small town is, and probably will always be, a “fishing town”. But there was one big difference: the level of awareness regarding conservation and sustainability issues is higher, and it seems like for the first time fisheries management is starting to be addressed from a regional perspective.

Vaquita are very, very shy around boats, and the weather has to be perfect to see their tiny puffs emerge from the surface of the sea. It is a combination of enviromental factors and being in the right place at the right time that will increase your chances of seeing them in the wild.

This week, there is news of a sighting of epic proportion in terms of the vaquita, with a population estimated to be 250 animals from the most recent scientific survey to assess the population.

A group from Mexico’s La Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales (CONAMP – National Commission of Natural Protected Areas) sighted a group of 9 vaquitas. They were out near Rocas Consag retrieving acoustic recording equipment used in a montoring program run with Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE). Rocas Consag is a giant rock in the middle of the upper gulf, and sits within the vaquita refuge (a protected area for vaquita). It is an amazing place teeming with marine wildlife and birds.

One group consisted of five individuals, with one calf and two juveniles. They were observed by CONAMP staff for two hours. Two pairs of two animals were sighted in close vicinity.

According to SEMERNAT’s website (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales) –

“this new sighting brings new energy and fresh breath of air to the conservation efforts in the region.”

This is obviously good news for the Mexican government who, according to their website, have spent nearly 425 million pesos (32.5 million US dollars) on vaquita conservation; a combination of an intricate fisheries buyout and management program. Since 2008, there has been an enforced ban on local gillnet fishing within the Vaquita refuge. Scientists have identified gillnets used to catch shrimp as the main threat to the vaquita population. My documentary film goes into depth to understand Mexico’s vaquita conservation program, implementation and potential challenges to local communities and the vaquita.

I have spent a number of weeks trying to film and photograph vaquita over recent years and am very lucky to be one of the few people who have captured them at close range in the wild. So, it is exciting to hear about this encounter and am incredibly happy to see that the team recorded it on a digital camera for people to witness. I hope that this type of encounter can go along way to keeping the animals in the public eye, even for a brief moment.

Honestly, my heart raced seeing this image, like having an accidental encounter with good friend you have not seen for a number of years. It brought back memories of sitting in a boat for weeks, trying to find that rare encounter in flat seas with the epic baja landscape in the distance.

So, the question is – does this mean that the conservation programs are working?

On the surface, it is a good indicator. However, there are complicated socio-economic issues that are at the heart of achieving success in the conservation program. So, I am still keeping my fingers crossed at this point as there is a long way to go until I pack away my ‘save the vaquita’ t-shirt.

For more information on the sighting, read the press release on SEMERNAT’s website (in spanish).

See the photo of the sighting on SEMERNAT’s flickr page.

Watch the online documentary – Vaquita – Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise.

It will be a very interesting season since many activities will be developing simultaneously. From scientific research, to monitoring and enforcement activities, and of course fishing activities, the Upper Gulf of California will be a busy place. As always, the days leading up to the opening season are filled with excitement and huge expectations. There is shrimp to be caught and money to be made, scientific knowledge to be generated, gear to be tested and, of course, vaquitas to protect.

Saving the vaquita marina, or any species for that matter, requires an understanding of the ecosystem and the activities that are developed in it.

The region has been heavily studied before; there are plenty of oceanography studies and scientists have studied many of the different fisheries and their target species. Since the creation of the biosphere reserve, several studies on the impact of the establishment of the reserve and the refuge on local communities, including their fisheries, have been published. Studies on vaquita are numerous as well (from biology to ecology and even on bycatch). So we know a lot about many different species and issues, but we are still trying to understand how each one of them relates to the rest and how the dynamics of this ecosystem affect each one, including the vaquita marina.

Hopefully the research that is done this year will help us get closer to gaining a better understanding of the region from an ecosystem point of view. Scientists and NGOs will be working with the fishermen in gathering much needed information that will mostly help develop a fishing impact assessment (IA) for the region. Last year was the first year that the artisanal fleet was required to have one, and since the document lacked crucial information it was only approved for one year. This time around, fishermen and NGOs decided to work together in developing an IA that would meet the standards expected not only by the government, but by national and international NGOs. Also, and perhaps most importantly, an IA that will include specific actions that will allow fishermen to incorporate sustainable practices and reduce their impact on the ecosystem.

A chango "mini-trawl" net, Santa Clara. Chris Johnson

Another research component is the development of efficient and vaquita safe fishing gear to be used instead of gillnets.

For now, research has focused on developing gear aimed at catching shrimp. However we must keep in mind that gill nets are used in other fisheries as well, so research on this field will need to expand to other fisheries soon if what we want is to eliminate vaquita’s major threat. Last year INAPESCA did research on fin fish fishing methods, but fishermen were not involved in this project and it was on much smaller scale than the shrimp fishing gear testing. These two elements (knowledge on fisheries and fishing gear) are crucial in the conservation plan for vaquita and require everyone’s collaboration.

Past experiences have taught us that, despite everyone’s good intentions, things can get tense between fishermen and scientists, especially when each other’s activities are affected during the process. Scientists are pressured to get results while fishermen look to earn a living; both activities require time and patience form both sides, so exasperation and arguments often become elements in the daily routines. It may be tough, but last year’s results are proof that arguments can be resolved and people can work together. After a rough start, gear was tested after fishermen, government and NGOs were able to come up with a plan that satisfied all those involved. The bar is set high for this year, and with even more participants involved, let us hope they all come equipped with patience and that they don’t lose sight of the objectives.

It’s encouraging to see the efforts put forth by fishermen and how they are getting involved in research activities. They have long asked for NGOs and scientist to step in and generate the knowledge needed to move forward in conservation and resource management efforts. This is an opportunity for fishermen to experience all that goes into scientific research and why “it takes forever” to get results and information. Slowly, fishermen are becoming partners in the process of generating knowledge, and scientists acknowledge the importance of their participation. Fishermen have valuable information that has been acquired by their experience out at sea and this becomes significant, especially in projects like gear development. Sharing responsibility in the search for solutions creates a sense of responsibility and ownership that will eventually lead to long-lasting conservation and management measures.

I especially look forward to seeing how the closure of specific areas for gear testing works out.

Blue Shrimp

Last year’s testing activities were occasionally interrupted when gillnets “invaded” the path of a trawling panga. This meant that testing had to stop, which kept research teams from achieving their goals and getting the necessary data. As a result, area closures were designed to eliminate competition for space between gill net fishing and trawling with the chango nets. Area closures have always been tough to implement (even with compensation), so these might generate some unrest. Fishermen have already voiced reservations about the location, dates and how the areas were chosen. It is tough enough to do the testing, so factoring these types of challenges is no easy task for the scientists. Could this be the year we finally see strong results from gear testing? I certainly hope so.

Enforcement is always a big issue with people complaining about here being too little or too much of it. PROFEPA, CONANP and CONAPESCA will have their hands full as they prepare to begin their enforcement programs. While each institution has different attributes and jurisdictions, the area to be monitored is large (the entire Biosphere Reserve, not just the vaquita refuge), and this requires huge amounts of resources including personnel, equipment, and money. While priority should be placed on endangered species like the vaquita marina or the totoaba, a comprehensive enforcement program that helps achieve conservation as well as management goals is desperately needed for the region.

I do wish to say that past efforts have given good results and things are getting better. Last year there were no reported vaquita drownings, and fishermen talked about enforcement authorities being too tough, especially in and around the vaquita refuge (I take this as an indicator of authorities doing their job). The core zone was also heavily patrolled in an effort to keep fishermen from entering and fishing inside, and a couple even got their gear confiscated for fishing illegally. But it hasn’t only been government authorities doing all the work. Fishermen increasingly push for bigger budgets in order to increase enforcement in the region. They know that by protecting marine resources they are protecting their income.

The fishing sector also has big expectations for this season.

Two pangas fishing.

Last year there were over 500 tons of shrimp caught in the upper gulf. With an average price of $160 pesos/kg, this translated into over $81 million pesos. Prices are expected to fluctuate between $12 and $18 dlls/kg this season, and artisanal fishermen expect buyers to approach them since trawling boats have an embargo on their shrimp and therefore it can’t be exported to the US. Shrimp from trawlers might be directed to satisfy demand from local and national markets instead. The economic importance of this resource is obvious and this fishery represents the communities’ main income. Finding a way in which the fishery and vaquita can coexist is one the biggest challenge for the region.

The region’s environmental problems are complex, and in the past five years the situation has evolved, allowing us to learn about new issues or aspects that were either not considered or were unknown. This complexity is what constantly demands an open mind and a willingness to adapt and learn from the experiences. It looks as if everyone is feeling a bit more comfortable in tackling challenges and addressing pending needs without getting overwhelmed.

Catalina Lopez with Carlos Tirado Piñeda in Santa Clara.

Fishermen appear to be more involved, NGOs more proactive (as opposed to just pointing out faults and errors), and the government seems to be listening and trying to satisfy everyone’s needs. There is still so much to be done, and even though things move slowly, it is more than what was happening five years ago.

So let’s hope it’s a good season for science and fishing and that new and old working relationships are strengthened; but most importantly, let’s hope this is a good season for vaquita.

Additional Links:

• PROFEPA- Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA – Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente), Mexico
• CONANP – National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (COMISION NACIONAL DE ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS), Mexico
• CONAPESCA – National Commission of Aquaculture and Fishing (COMISIÓN NACIONAL DE ACUACULTURA Y PESCA), Mexico

Vaquita is the smallest of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) in the world and inhabits a very tiny 40 square mile region of sea in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico. They are found nowhere else in the world.

Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin).

To scientists, Vaquita is a critically endangered animal. Their numbers are now so low, that before we know it, they feel it could join the fate of the Baiji – a river dolphin in China that lived only in the Yangtze river. In 2007, Baiji was declared extinct as a result of increased human activity and overfishing.

To fishermen, vaquita is a nuisance to the local fishing industry and their families. Most have never seen a vaquita alive, or even want to. Catching a vaquita in a gillnet leads to too much attention and hassle. In 2007, the ‘alternative livelihoods program’ commenced, led by government agencies to “buy-out” the nets and boats of all local fishermen, and supply them with new careers.

A Vaquita entangled in a gillnet. Illustration by Uko Gorter

Alternative livelihoods is a fairly loose term for the program. Eco-tourism was promoted as one answer. However, tourism would have to increase substantially for it to replace fishing as the main economic staple for the region. The upper gulf is an adventurous place to travel to, not quite disneyland for the kids with military checkpoints outside of each town, and still very rough around the edges.

To conservationists, vaquita is a puzzle. On paper it should be relatively easy to save the species from rapid decline, after all, there is only one major problem scientists have identified as the main culprit for their decline – gillnets. So, it should be easy to buy out the fishermen and give them new lives away from the sea. But for the older generation of fishermen, this is not so simple. Also, not all fishermen own their fishing permits, so buying removing nets and licenses is not necessarily a fair trade for everyone in the area.

Processing shrimp in Santa Clara.

To me, vaquita is a marine jewel, a secretive creature that maybe people are not supposed to know much about. However, I fear its story is destined to be repeated around the world over coming years as cetacean populations are declining due to entanglements in nets. If some type of balance cannot be found in the upper gulf, this small, sleek, and gorgeous animal, the atypical “little guy” with no voice in the debate, has very little time and hope. Its fate will be decided by us, whether it likes it or not.

A Vaquita porpoise photographed on October 19, 2008.

True, it is a signature to an area rich in marine biodiversity in a sea Jacques Cousteau once referred to as the “ocean’s aquarium”. The Gulf of California is one of my favorite places in the world.

The gulf is home to the world’s biggest animal, the enormous blue whale. Large populations of fin, sei and sperm whales also plow its depths, pods of common dolphins charge about in schools that number in the thousands and multitudes of breeding seabirds crowd together on cactus studded islets. The stark contrast between the relatively barren terrestrial landscape and the lush marine seascape is a defining paradox evident everywhere in the gulf. It is one of Earth’s most diverse and exquisite marine habitats.

It was a perfectly still hot dry morning when I first encountered this mythical marine mammal. I was filming and photographing Expedition Vaquita – a mulltinational scientific expedition that spent two months in the upper gulf with the aim of estimating the already fragile population.

NOAA RV David Starr Jordan

I was onboard the NOAA research vessel David Starr Jordan, filming interviews with scientists including Barb Taylor, Jay Barlow and Bob Pitman. All had been involved in the expedition in 2006 that declared the baiji in china “functionally extinct”. They had seen this before and would do anything possible to ensure this was not repeated. Their conviction was infectious. When the first sightings of vaquita occurred on the Jordan, I quickly transferred to a smaller boat with Tom Jefferson to try to get as close as possible.

A few hours later, I found myself with camera in hand, face to face with vaquita. Actually we sighted a few in the distance, so I took up my favorite position on the bow of the boat to get the best coverage. Moments later two vaquita danced in the distance and circled quickly towards the boat diving under the bow as I gracefully attempted to follow their path. So small and so quick, it was difficult to predict where they would come up to breathe and one of the most difficult animals I have ever filmed.

Researchers Paula Olson and Tom Jefferson photographing vaquita, 2008.

NOAA scientist Greg Silber was next to me during the sighting. He had done his PhD years ago on vaquita, and his photos were the first record of live vaquita prior to this day. Greg turned to me afterwards and said – “You are damn lucky, you know that, don’t you?” It was a grand understatement to even classify this encounter as rare. Many people had doubts we could even find vaquita, let alone get close enough to photograph it.

The photos and footage swept around the globe through various print and online media outlets generating a slight ‘buzz’ that has been since forgotten. But, there is much more to this story than just a chance encounter recorded in digital memory.

The Upper Gulf is full of stories of changing lives in communities with socio-economic challenges and severe environmental impact – past and present. I wanted to record the story of the people who live there, and who will decide whether or not vaquita survives – because in the end it will not be conservation groups or science who decides.

The government can help tremendously, but the upper gulf is a place that local fishermen Miguel Reyes France states in the documentary – “Santa Clara is the town with the most problems regarding legality.” The drug trade is an influential factor in this area that few wanted to talk about on camera.

During the journey documenting the story, I felt as if I was beginning to understand the complexity, yet the simplicity of what was at stake. To some, there was no easy fix, or short term solution, or was there?

A fisherman in Santa Clara, Mexico

Over the next year I tried to convince people that there still was a story to be told. The purpose would be to take a critical (and hopefully balanced) look at the vaquita story and make it freely available to people in the quickest way possible – online.

So I have recorded and edited a story captured over three years, to get it out to the public. The videos are meant to be a reflection of people who have a stake in vaquita – whether they are trying to save it, or their lives are influenced by it.

However, I felt that telling the story through my perspective was only part of it. Techniques in traditional media would serve as a foundation and starting point to the story. There needed to be a place where people could learn about and have a conversation about Vaquita.

Images of dead vaquita - Omar Vidal

So, Vaquita.tv was born – a hybrid online documentary and social media website.
It is the hope to let anyone who has a “stake” in vaquita story in the region – fishermen, scientists, conservations, students, shrimp buyers, shrimp consumers, and tourists, to participate in a way and measure the issues in real time.

Many people ask me what I feel the solution for Vaquita. I feel that leadership has to come from within local communities, and the science has presented a very credible case. In ten years, the entire population of vaquita has declined over 56%. This is a classic story of time running out, and there are key decisions in our hands that have to be made.

Fisherman launching a panga into the water.

Will the buyout work? I am not sure and personally do not feel optimistic about it. It is amazing that the Mexican government gave it a go, backed by so much funding. But, it has been one big experiment with no fallback plan especially when a fishermen’s new business fails. I feel this is influencing fishermen who were on the fence about joining the program, and we are seeing its popularity decline rapidly.

According to recent information from the Mexican government, for the first time in four years, no one is participating in the fisheries buyout program. However, the popularity of the “rent-out”, being paid a sum to not fishing in an area already protected by law, is on the rise. It seems a bit ridiculous to pay people to stay out of a marine protected area that already bans gillnets. This type of conservation is not sustainable at all and sends the wrong message.

Alejandro Robles with AGS members

A year ago, I revisited Santa Clara, travelling with Alejandro Robles a conservationist with over 35 years experience working in the upper gulf. He showed me a new office that had just opened – symbolized by the drying paint on the walls. Alto Golfo Sustenable, an NGO started to be a bridge between industry groups, local NGOs and fishermen, was now open and next door to the local fisheries office. A few computers with internet access was installed with free access for people in Santa Clara. This is the starting point for a communication revolution. There is how and where we can hear how local communities. I hope people do join in the debate.

Pangas in the street in Santa Clara

So, can social media really save a species like Vaquita?

Here are a couple of ways social media will help -

• Scientists, conservation groups, and local community members join the debate online which will help break down barriers to help better manage and adapt the conservation programs in place. This way, the information flow can increase and be beneficial to all sides. In the end, this could help save vaquita and help local communities.
• Visitors of the site, share the videos with your friends, tell people about vaquita and the website, that is the first step. Not many people outside of the marine conservation community know about the animal so people cannot care about something they do not know about. The film is broken up into seven shorts in order to make it more “web-friendly” so it can be shared.

If you have not watched the entire film, make sure to watch the chapter entitled “The Future“.

In many ways, it is in your hands to change “the future” for vaquita. Why not give it a go?

These are the programs available to fishermen:

1. Buy-out (alternative livelihoods program): Fishermen turn in a boat (panga), all fishing permits assigned to it, its motor and all fishing gear associated to the fishing permits.
   

   	Maximum amount of $ (pesos)
   1boat, motor and gill nets associated to 3 or more fishing permits.	$400,000.00
   1 boat, motor and gill nets associated to 2 fishing permits.	$350,000.00
   1 boat, motor and gill nets associated to 1 fishing permit.	$300,000.00

2. Fishing gear exchange (“switch-out”): Permanent substitution of gillnets with other fishing gear that does not pose a threat to vaquitas. This requires a fishing permit to be modified so that they specify what gear fishermen will be allowed to use.
   

   	Maximum amount of $ (pesos)
   Fishing gear exchange for 1 permit	$300,000.00

3. Rent-out (conservation activities): Fishermen receive compensation in exchange for suspending all fishing activities with gillnets inside the vaquita refuge and three additional areas where gear testing will take place. These additional areas will be closed off during specific dates; this means that during these periods of time only gear testing is allowed inside their perimeters. Funds for this program are given to each boat as long as they have a current fishing permit and their fishing area is within 30 nautical miles of their assigned docking port.Gear testing will take place the following days (2010):
   

   Month	Start	Finish
   September	24	28
   October	16	20
   November	1	5
   December	2	6

   	Maximum amount of $ (pesos)
   Biodiversity Conservation Activities	$60,000.00

4. Fishing gear development (gear testing): This program refers to the testing of the RS-INP-MX net. Testing activities will be done throughout the entire shrimp season and under a special fishing permit allowing for gear development. Funds will be awarded in exchange for suspending the commercial fishing permit for the same period of time. There are three categories to chose from in this program:
   1. Gear development with the purchase of the RS-INP-MX prototype. Funds awarded include the cost of the fishing gear; fishermen need to purchase this gear following technical specifications as well as operation techniques established by INAPESCA.
   2. Gear development without the purchase of the RS-INP-MX prototype. This option is only available to those who changed their fishing permit specifications from gillnet use to RS-INP-MX prototype use, as well as to those who participated in the gear development program in 2009.
      
   3. Controlled testing. Only boats that changed their fishing permits so that they specified the use of RS-INP-MX are eligible. Up to 10 boats will be selected and will operate under the work plan and direction of INAPESCA. Boats not selected for this category will be eligible for consideration for option (b).

Fishermen participating in any of the categories described above are required to complete at least 15 fishing trips during the shrimp season. Each trip needs to include three 1 hour trawls and should have an observer on board.

	Maximum amount of $ (pesos)
Gear development with the purchase of the RS-INP-MX prototype (option a).	$170,000.00
Gear development without the purchase of the RS-INP-MX prototype (option b).	$90,000.00
Controlled testing (option c).	$120,000.00

For more information and a complete description of the PACE-Vaquita 2010 and its programs visit CONANP’s web site at http://www.conanp.gob.mx/vaquita_marina/

(site and documents are in Spanish) ]]> http://vaquita.tv/blog/2010/09/11/buy-outs-and-new-fishing-technology/feed/ 1 http://vaquita.tv/blog/2010/09/10/authorized-pace-vaquita-proposals-2010/ http://vaquita.tv/blog/2010/09/10/authorized-pace-vaquita-proposals-2010/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:01:20 +0000 Catalina López http://vaquita.tv/?p=2728 CONANP has published a list of the authorized proposals from fishermen looking to participate in the 2010 buy-out, gear development and rent-out programs.

As was expected, the program with the highest number of participants is the rent-out and, unlike previous years, there were no volunteers for the buy-out option.

This has resulted in a greater number of fishermen participating in the gear development categories. While NOGs and the Mexican Government may have been counting on the buy-out to eliminate gill nets from the water, fishermen are starting to see the value of investing their time and effort in development fishing gear that will ultimately allow them to keep fishing in the future.

Gear testing has not been easy in the past, and INAPESCA and fishermen have faced many challenges in terms of logistics. The main complaint last year was that testing activities interfered with fishing activities, and fishermen using the RS-INP-MX prototype found themselves competing for space with fishermen using traditional gill nets. Hopefully with the closures in the additional three areas, pangas testing the RS-INP-MX prototype will be able to work properly and INAPESCA personnel will be able to gather the necessary data during the experiments.

These are the results for each program in each community:

Total number of permits participating in program:

For more information and a detailed list of the approved proposals visit CONANP’s web site at – http://www.conanp.gob.mx/vaquita_marina/

(site and documents are in Spanish).

Tucked away in the northern extremities of the Gulf of California in Mexico, lives the entire world population of the Vaquita porpoise. Its range is the smallest of any marine mammal – living in an area less than 40 square miles.

Filmmaker Chris Johnson of earthOCEAN had unprecedented access for three years to one of the world’s most grave marine conservation stories. In 2008, he joined the international scientific effort – Expedition Vaquita – to find and document any remaining animals in the region. He interviewed international conservation groups and met with local fishermen to find out what solutions, if any could be found in time.

Johnson notes: “We had two goals for the project – the first was to film and photograph the elusive Vaquita porpoise and document the people racing to help it survive. The second and most important, was to create a much-needed tool for outreach efforts to communicate scientific findings and conservation recommendations for the Vaquita, while addressing the challenges for people in local communities.”

In recent years human pressures have taken an enormous toll on the desert porpoise. Gill nets – nearly invisible fishing nets set in the water like curtains and often left unattended by coastal fishers primarily fishing for shrimp – are the greatest single cause of Vaquita mortality. Vaquita become entangled and drown when they accidentally swim into the nets.

Tim Ragen, Executive Director of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, a supporter of the multimedia project says – “Chris brings an essential, balanced perspective to a complex issue fraught with socio-economic challenges. His efforts will increase awareness of people around the world regarding the plight of this highly endangered species.”

Vaquita aren’t the intended target of any fishery, they are merely the bycatch of local fishers trying to earn a living and feed their families. For the fishers of El Golfo de Santa Clara, San Felipe and Puerto Penasco, the Vaquita is collateral damage.

The Vaquita is sliding ever closer to the edge of oblivion where it is on course to join its cousin; the Baiji. The Baiji, also known as the Yangtze River dolphin, lived only in China in the Yangtze River. In 2007, it is the first cetacean species to be declared extinct in modern times, as a direct result of human activities.

To watch the documentary online, follow updates about the vaquita, and read blogs from various experts visit the website – www.vaquita.tv

In September 2010, earthOCEAN will freely give DVDs through partners to local communities of El Golfo de Santa Clara, and San Felipe Mexico so people with limited internet access can watch this story, and make a decision about the importance of the Vaquita to the biodiversity of the region.

“Vaquita – Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise” is supported by grants from The Ocean Foundation and United States Marine Mammal Commission with support from scientific and conservation partners – NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center in the United States and in Mexico Instituto Nacional de Ecología, Noereste Sustentable, CEDO – Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans and WWF Mexico.

Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation and active in Vaquita conservation for 25 years, says the documentary is “beautiful and made me fall in love with this unique animal all over again.” Spalding expressed that “we have confidence that this film will convince people that this rare and elusive animal is a Mexican treasure worth saving.”
Press Contact:

Steph Johnson

+1 917-805-6925 (New York, NY USA)
Email: media@earthocean.tv
Web: www.earthocean.tv

At the northern end of the Gulf of California, where the Baja peninsula joins the rest of Mexico, the world’s most endangered marine mammal is inching closer to extinction.

With adults only 1.5 metres long, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a rare porpoise found only in these waters, epitomizes the plight of small cetaceans, which bear the brunt of pollution, ship traffic and fishing because they live in rivers and coastal areas. In China, the Yangtze river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) was last seen in 2007 and is now considered extinct. The vaquita — vulnerable to gill nets used by local fisherman — could be the next to go.

Read the entire article at –
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100608/full/465674b.html

Researchers from NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla California, and Insitituto Nacional de Ecologia in Mexico estimate the current population to be 250 animals.

The aim of Expedition Vaquita was to provide a more concise abundance estimate for the population. For more information about the scientific methods behind it, watch this video:

Watch more videos from the documentary – “Vaquita – The Search for the Desert Porpoise”.

The following is the excerpt from SEMERNAT:

THE SEMARNAT PRESENTED MONITORING RESULTS ON MARINE VAQUITA TO THE IWC
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), through its representative before the International Whaling Commission, Lorenzo Rojas, presented the results of the Vaquita Acoustic Monitoring Cruise in the Upper Gulf California, which took place from September to November of 2008, to the scientific committee of the IWC.

The investigation indicates that the population of the vaquita is of approximately 250 individuals, when in 2007 the population estimate was of 150 animals, which does not mean that the population has increased from one year to the next, but that the 2008 estimate was done with a more precise method, designed especially to assess its abundance.

The Semarnat restates that to avoid the extinction of the species it is essential to eliminate the incidental mortality in its totality, as it has been recommended by specialized scientific organizations, including the IWC.

In this sense, Semarnat implements since the end of 2007, the Vaquita Conservation Action Program (PACE-Vaquita), that has managed to diminish significantly the number of fishing nets in the Upper Gulf of California. The final goal of PACE-Vaquita is to eliminate the incidental mortality of this species by means of offering socio-economic alternatives and alternative fishing gear, friendly to the vaquita, to the fishermen communities in the Upper Gulf of California.

The Monitoring was responsibility of researchers from the National Institute of Ecology, and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center of the United States (SWFSC-NOAA), who combined visual and acoustic techniques, as well as analytical methods of recent development to estimate the abundance of this specie of marine mammal, the most endangered in the world and endemic of this area.

The key to any well-intentioned conservation plan often comes down to the monitoring and enforcement of it. Mexico’s plan to save the highly endangered vaquita marina porpoise in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico is no exception. In 2008, under pressure from national and international groups, Mexico created a special compensation program known as PACE – Vaquita to reduce the number of fishermen, exchange harmful gillnets for porpoise-safe gear, and prohibit the use of gillnets in the Vaquita Refuge (see my blog here). The program looked impressive on paper, but is it working?

Thanks to two non-profit organizations, Terra Peninsular and Environmental Flying Services, we have a rare third party view of the impact of Mexico’s PACE – Vaquita program. With support from FONDO Mexicano and NRDC, the groups conducted monthly 2 day aerial surveys of the Upper Gulf during the 2009 – 2010 fishing season (October to March) to document how many boats were operating in the area and where. Below is an example snapshot of their findings which combines census information and GIS mapping.

Read the entire blog posting here:

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ayouatt/monitoring_mexicos_vaquita_con.html