Another perspective on saving the VAQUITA porpoise from the Elephant Action League

Last edited Thu Feb 28, 2019, 11:41 PM - Edit history (1)

Interesting part of the commentary says that banning imports of seafood from Mexico that is not certified as safe for the vaquita was a mistake and the EAL opposed it. Their logic is that there is no longer any legal fishery in the northern Sea of Cortez.
https://news.mongabay.com/2019/02/vaquita-still-doomed-without-further-disruption-of-totoaba-cartels-commentary/

I disagree with the criticism of the ban. Actually, I think if the whole area was closed to fishing and established as a marine reserve, there would be better fishing overall, and there would be no activity that would threaten the vaquita. But I do agree that increasing pressure on the middlemen and traffickers would help. Please let your representatives know you support increasing pressure on wildlife traffickers (US is 2nd largest market in the world).
Existing whistleblower program could help stop trafficking:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/11314555

An immediate step might be to require transducers that mimic the sound of motors on legal nets, as the vaquita are said to avoid boats.

Also interesting that this person from the EAL doesn't say much about Sea Shepherd, but the representative speaking here had only good things to say about them:
Meet the producers of Sea of Shadows and EAL:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211805349

I'm still behind Sea Shepherd, they are the only group removing the nets. And the article says that the fishermen are beginning to doubt that the illegal fishery is worth the investment.

Hopefully the groups will continue to work together. Way too important to give in to bickering.


Just got a video of the campaign from Sea Shepherd in my e-mail: