Sharksbaja - 2-5-2005 at 02:01 AM
Another example of what the gillnets are getting. I remember hearing about these amazing fish. Seems like another crisis.
The agency that oversees protection and and delves out grants for endandered species failed to fund the project last year.
Does anyone have the current status?
The most significant and still poorly known eco-tragedy of the Gulf of California is the fatal interaction between a giant fish, the totoaba, Totoaba
macdonaldi, and the smallest cetacean in the world, the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. Both of these species are on the endangered species list with the
totoaba being the only Sea of Cortez marine fish on the list, and the vaquita, which is a porpoise, having the dubious distinction of being the rarest
and most endangered of all marine mammals. Both species are endemic to the Upper Gulf of California and apparently associate with each other, feeding
on similar prey, much like the association between dolphins and yellowfin tuna in the eastern Pacific. The gill net fishery for the totoaba which
began in the 1930's devastated totoaba populations to the extent that the fishery was closed in 1974 and the fish was listed as an endangered species
shortly after. Unfortunately, vaquita were also caught and killed by these gill nets. Although totoaba fishing has been prohibited for over 20 years
illegal fishing still persists. Vaquita are still being killed by these gill nets and although the total population remaining is difficult to estimate
because of the secret habits of this shy porpoise researchers fear that there may be only a few hundred vaquitas left.
More info @
http://www.bajadestinations.com/afish/afish2003/afish030714/...