MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The rarest marine mammals on earth, the vaquita porpoise, does not appear to have seen a drop in its population since October 2021, according to an optimistic new research report published Wednesday by Sea Shepherd, a non-governmental organization.
The critically endangered vaquita, native to Mexico’s Gulf of California, has been imperiled by black market fishing, putting Mexico’s government under pressure to crack down on the practice.
Biologists estimated that between 20 or less vaquitas were left in 2018, and previously warned more die each year in nets than are born.
However, Sea Shepherd’s latest surveillance mission said that they spotted around a dozen healthy looking individuals, including calves; “roughly the same” estimate as that in October 2021 when the last survey was conducted.
The group’s new report also said data showed over a 90% drop in the number of fishing boats operating where the vaquita live.
“Seeing healthy vaquitas feeding undisturbed makes us optimistic that the species is not bound to continue its decline toward extinction as long as conservation measures can continue to protect the species,” the report said.
They added the stark drop in boat activity was the “most encouraging news ever of human intervention to save vaquitas,” attributing the drop in lethal fishing activity to improved coordination by the Mexican navy in the so-called Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA).
Sea Shepherd partnered with official bodies and Mexico’s navy last year to boost “Operation Miracle”, a project to protect the vaquita by sharing information about illegal fishing in the waters where they live, in the Pacific gulf.
In late May, the U.S. interior secretary declared that Mexico has failed to halt the illegal wildlife trade threatening the vaquita, opening the path for a possible trade embargo.
(Reporting by Carolina Pulice, Writing by Isabel Woodford; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
