BajaNomad - The latest from Sea Shepherd in San Felipe

The latest from Sea Shepherd in San Felipe

gringorio - 1-22-2018 at 05:02 PM

Looks like things are continuing to be tense. I worry that as the totoaba season progresses things will escalate until someone is severely hurt or worse:

Latest Sea Shepherd Video Update from San Felipe

fishbuck - 1-23-2018 at 12:32 PM

This issue isn't going away until the fish do.

fishbuck - 1-23-2018 at 01:22 PM

How much Operational Radius do you have with Drone Survielance?
I'm guessing 1-5 miles.
A fixed wing air patrol and fast boat response team should increase you to 5-10 miles.
The adversary looks well organized and equipped. He's all in and will not give up without a fight.
Very dangerous to all involved.
I saved the whales once already...

fishbuck - 1-23-2018 at 01:31 PM

I 'm thinking a floatilla of small boats to swarm these guys too. Calling on all small captains who care above the Gulf of Baja to go to San Filepe and hook up with Sea Sheppard and get in this fight to "Save the Tortoaba".
And save yourself and your planet.

bajaguy - 1-23-2018 at 02:02 PM

High pressure water hoses have great effect on those pangas

The government and the navy need to grow a set of balls and start sinking those poachers

fishbuck - 1-23-2018 at 02:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

High pressure water hoses have great effect on those pangas

The government and the navy need to grow a set of balls and start sinking those poachers

We need to handle this the same way we handle all pirates now. With NATO Warships.
The mex Navy only harasses gingo sportfisherman. Which takes no balls at all.

Hook - 1-23-2018 at 06:35 PM

I notice the video fails to mention what you are trying to protect. But maybe that is intentional, as this is a promotional/fundraising video. Not really an "update", IMO.

I would sure like to hear about the process whereby the Mexican government allows you to protect a specific species. Clearly, they allowed this with the vaquita. And maybe, now, the totuaba? What were those pangueros fishing for? They were hauling in nets in a foot of water. Certainly no vaquita or totuaba are in that shallow.

Transparency is a good thing, even for environmental organizations.

Please dont assume that I am a gringo that wants to maximize my take in the ocean, like so many gringos living down here do. I have a strong conservation ethic. But I like to know the details on what I support.

[Edited on 1-24-2018 by Hook]

hombre66 - 1-23-2018 at 07:40 PM

Could be Totoaba there in the shallows you see in the film. Saw my compadre catch two by chance at Pta San Rafael a couple of decades ago (safely released) in an amazingly shallow 3 ft of water. Thought they were White Sea Bass, but later on, positively ID'd by Gene Kirra at WON as Totoaba.

willardguy - 1-23-2018 at 08:00 PM

lol....of course they're WSB! truth is there's crapload of totoava and not an unusual fish on the gringo dinner table..remember just a few years ago the fishery was about to be opened, nobody heard or cared about the lipsticked vaquita, just a big delicious fun to catch croaker. think they don't crash bait in a foot of water???

Hook - 1-23-2018 at 08:10 PM

I stand corrected IF those are croaker. And I have caught small croaker in very shallow water, as I recall.

Really, the UN should give up trying to intercede in political/border disagreements (in which they have an abysmal track record) and begin funding environmental causes, exclusively. The only way you can get pangueros to stop fishing in protected areas is to give them another means of supporting their families. Feeding your kids is a strong motivation to try and overcome.

willardguy - 1-23-2018 at 08:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

I stand corrected IF those are croaker. And I have caught small croaker in very shallow water, as I recall.

Really, the UN should give up trying to intercede in political/border disagreements (in which they have an abysmal track record) and begin funding environmental causes, exclusively. The only way you can get pangueros to stop fishing in protected areas is to give them another means of supporting their families. Feeding your kids is a strong motivation to try and overcome.

IF? the mexican government pays the san felipe fisherman not to fish totoaba, idle acre's if you will....how has that panned out?

bajamary1952 - 1-23-2018 at 08:58 PM

Several Mexicans have told me that the government was paying fishermen not to fish but they were still fishing while taking payments so apparently the government stopped the funding.

gringorio - 1-24-2018 at 07:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

I notice the video fails to mention what you are trying to protect. But maybe that is intentional, as this is a promotional/fundraising video. Not really an "update", IMO.

I would sure like to hear about the process whereby the Mexican government allows you to protect a specific species. Clearly, they allowed this with the vaquita. And maybe, now, the totuaba? What were those pangueros fishing for? They were hauling in nets in a foot of water. Certainly no vaquita or totuaba are in that shallow.

Transparency is a good thing, even for environmental organizations.

Please dont assume that I am a gringo that wants to maximize my take in the ocean, like so many gringos living down here do. I have a strong conservation ethic. But I like to know the details on what I support.

[Edited on 1-24-2018 by Hook]

I'm not privy to the exact details of the agreement, but Sea Shepherd is allowed to remove and destroy gillnets from the gillnet exclusion zone. See attached photo that shows the vaquita refuge, vaquita range, gillnet exclusion zone and biosphere reserve. Not how small the vaquita reserve is compared to its range.

As for the last video, when I linked it, I called it an update. They called it To Save a Species. You're right, they didn't say what species though it's listed in the description.

As for the net in shallow water, we found quite a few last winter that were clearly set for totoaba given the mesh size. Either way, illegal.

gringorio - 1-24-2018 at 08:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck

How much Operational Radius do you have with Drone Survielance?
I'm guessing 1-5 miles.
A fixed wing air patrol and fast boat response team should increase you to 5-10 miles.
The adversary looks well organized and equipped. He's all in and will not give up without a fight.
Very dangerous to all involved.
I saved the whales once already...

I agree, sadly, that until the last fish is gone the issue will remain. Yeah, I wish the funding was there for what you propose. The Mexican government is still dragging its feet. The drones are the best for getting in there to see what's going on from many miles away. Fixed wing drone options are a new possibility that I'm personally looking into. Longer range and flight times.

Pulling Gillnets

gringorio - 3-15-2018 at 06:00 PM

Sea Shepherd is continuing to patrol for illegal gillnets targeting totoaba. Everyday they find and remove gillnets as well as long-lines. Here's a couple of photos of the M/V Farley Mowat and the M/V Sharpie with Marina Rescate near San Felipe:

sancho - 3-15-2018 at 08:21 PM

Read this off a San Felipe site, don't know the validity of it,
but has been reported as of this Sat. 2/17, San Felipe
panga fishermen will start fishing, I assume in direct conflict
to the ban. If true, this could get ugly. Gringorio, have
you heard of this?

gringorio - 3-15-2018 at 08:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

Read this off a San Felipe site, don't know the validity of it,
but has been reported as of this Sat. 2/17, San Felipe
panga fishermen will start fishing, I assume in direct conflict
to the ban. If true, this could get ugly. Gringorio, have
you heard of this?

I have not heard of that. Can you send me a link to the site? The project manager may already know, but I'm just a deck crew/drone operator so I don't get all the details.

sancho - 3-15-2018 at 09:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by gringorio

I have not heard of that. Can you send me a link to the site? The project manager may already know, but I'm just a deck crew/drone operator so I don't get all the details.

I meant to say this Sat. 3/17, came off Facebook San Felipe
within the last 3 days or so,
posted by a SF resident who runs a noble SF donation/charity
group that serves the needy in town.
edit: Was a post 3/14, saying something like 'pray for the fishermen
this weekend, hope cool heads prevail', looks like something
is scheduled

[Edited on 3-16-2018 by sancho]