Finally, a Reason to Hope for the World’s Most Endangered Marine Mammal

[Omaha Steve]

Mexico has announced a new policy to save the vaquita, a tiny porpoise on the brink of extinction.


A vaquita captured as bycatch. (Photo: Getty Images)


http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/03/01/vaquita-mexico-new-policy?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2015-03-02

March 01, 2015 By Kristina Bravo

Kristina Bravo is Assistant Editor at TakePart.

From the little blue macaw to the Javan tiger, many animals have vanished under our watch. The long list is poised to soon include another: the vaquita, a tiny porpoise found only in the Gulf of California.

It’s the most endangered marine mammal on the planet, and a last-ditch effort by the Mexican government gives the fewer than 100 vaquitas remaining their final chance at survival. Mexico’s environment ministry this week announced a new policy that would ban gill nets—in which vaquitas, which grow about four feet long, get trapped and die—for two years across the northern Gulf of California. The thousands of local fishers who use them to catch shrimp, mostly for the U.S. market, will be compensated for their loss.

The policy will take effect in March. Fishers and others who depend on shrimp catch will receive installments of $72 million over two years.

“I really think that this is the last chance, and we had better get our act together,” Omar Vidal, director of World Wildlife Fund Mexico, told The New York Times. “I think the government is very serious.”

FULL story at link.

[lovemydog]

1. I hope they save the vaquita!

Thanks for the post Omaha Steve.

[McCamy Taylor]

2. Better find out what the vaquita thinks about Hillary before asking DU to support it.

J/k. Love marine mammals. But it is kind of crazy around here right now. If it does not prove that Hillary is the Anti-Christ then a lot of folks are not interested. This would probably be the perfect time for the NeoCons to do something like try to start an Iran War. No one at DU would even notice.....

[Behind the Aegis]

3. I have never heard of this animal.

I am glad to hear about it and seeing it is being protected. It's kinda cute.

[dreamnightwind]

4. never heard of it

I greatly appreciate this, and many of your posts, Omaha Steve.