Mexico’s Lack of Effort to Save the Vaquita is a Disgrace
June 9, 2023
It is absolutely unacceptable to be dropping more concrete blocks with hooks into the waters of the Vaquita Refuge. These hooks ensnare nets and present a further threat to the survival of the Vaquita. Barbara Taylor, as a scientist, should know better. Like SSCS, she has become a mouthpiece to the Mexican government.
There is only one way to prevent the extinction of the Vaquita. 100% serious enforcement in the Vaquita Refuge, penalization of illegal fishing and incarceration of convicted poachers. And confiscation and destruction of illegally set gill nets.
Confiscating and destroying nets was the primary strategy when I led SSCS efforts to protect the Vaquita. We removed some 150,000 meters of gill nets, and I am confident that if we had not done so, the Vaquita would now be extinct.
Now it appears that the poachers have the upper hand. The Navy is missing in action, the Mexican government is afraid of the fishermen and SSCS is sitting on their asses “monitoring” whatever that means.
We need the U.S. to sanction Mexican fishing products unless Mexico gets serious about protection for the Vaquita.