Gypsy Jan
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Why Baja’s Baby Sea Turtles Are at Risk Now More Than Ever
From takepart.com
“Any day now, hundreds of endangered loggerhead sea turtles may be fighting for their lives in the waters off the Gulf of Ulloa, Baja California,
Mexico. That’s because each summer, fleets of small-scale fishermen flock there for halibut season.
On arrival, they’ll drop huge gillnets into the waters, anchoring them to the ocean floor. These nets—some which can almost be a mile long—are set to
catch giant halibut, but also catch endangered sea turtles, seals, and other non-target fish as well.
By far their most critically damaging bycatch are juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, which swim from Japan across the Pacific to this special spot and
feast on protein-rich red crabs. They park there for 10 to 15 years before turning around and swimming back to Japan—now as full-grown adults.
According to Chris Pincetich of the California-based Sea Turtle Restoration Project, loggerheads will repeat this cycle over time as adults, returning
to Baja’s rich seafloor to feed on crab. But not if Mexico’s government doesn’t put a stop to the unlimited gillnet fishing in these critical waters.
As Pincetich told TakePart today, if this summer is anything like last year’s, loggerheads will be in a lot of trouble. Because in July 2012, a
shocking 483 loggerheads washed up dead on a 40-kilometer stretch of beach along the gulf.
Pincetich and other scientists are alarmed because that’s a 600 percent increase over sea turtle deaths last year.
That has SeaTurtles.org and other conservation groups alike now struggling for answers and action. He says that last year, “something happened with
the halibut fishery where a bunch of new boats came in.” Observers were not on-hand last summer to confirm whether or not they were local Mexican
boats or other, illegal international fishing vessels. Either way, two months later, close to 500 loggerheads turned up dead on the beach.
“It was a wakeup call for the conservation community,” says Pincetich, “which thought, up until then, that it was making enough progress for
loggerhead protection through local fishermen. They thought they were getting through to local communities and had seen local populations begin to
climb.”
But scientists estimate that at least 2,5000 loggerheads died in just this small area of Baja, Mexico as a result of commercial fishing last year,
says Pincetich, and that most were juveniles. The culprit seems to be a combination of poor management of the fishery and disregard for sea turtle
protection laws in place. So SeaTurtles.org and others are on a mission to convince Mexican fisheries that they must reform their operations to comply
with international sea turtle protection laws.
How will they do it? Pincetich says the Mexican government is already at least starting to get on board, by promising to place observers on boats to
document where fishing vessels are coming from and whether or not they have the correct permits to use the deadly gillnets. Discussions from the
conservation community also include establishing a new marine-protected area where juvenile loggerheads are known to be in highest densities, yet so
far government officials have not taken this seriously.
And as evidenced by the recent death of 26-year-old Costa Rican sea turtle conservation worker Jairo Mora Sandoval, speaking up for sea turtles and
challenging local fisheries, which sometimes operate illegally, can lead to danger.
Any day now, hundreds of endangered loggerhead sea turtles may be fighting for their lives in the waters off the Gulf of Ulloa, Baja California,
Mexico. That’s because each summer, fleets of small-scale fishermen flock there for halibut season.
On arrival, they’ll drop huge gillnets into the waters, anchoring them to the ocean floor. These nets—some which can almost be a mile long—are set to
catch giant halibut, but also catch endangered sea turtles, seals, and other non-target fish as well.
By far their most critically damaging bycatch are juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, which swim from Japan across the Pacific to this special spot and
feast on protein-rich red crabs. They park there for 10 to 15 years before turning around and swimming back to Japan—now as full-grown adults.
Pincetich says tensions are rising between sea turtle conservationists and fishermen on the Baja Peninsula. Recently, for instance, they have been
targeting a man who walks the beaches counting all the bycatch that washes up dying or dead. Pincetich says that last summer, thugs spraypainted
messages telling sea turtle conservation workers to leave town.
“This issue of conservation in Mexico is that we’re working hard to make sure people know the truth and make sure the government knows [and
acknowledges] there’s a problem,” says Pincetich. “The next step is to protect sea turtles and begin to implement meaningful changes in fisheries.”
Halibut season in the Gulf of Ulloa is open now. If you’re down in Mexico, tell an official that you want more protection for the loggerhead sea
turtles.”
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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Osprey
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Although we released 46,000 Ridley this last season, they didn't even bother to count the Loggerheads as they require different sand, slightly
different nest temperatures --- tells me they just can't move them. Got to stop the netting for X months over there. Go get em Tortuguerras.
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David K
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Gulf of Ulloa? 
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Oggie
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Gulf of Ulloa? |
The Gulf of Ulloa, a highly productive area off
the western coast of Baja California Peninsula between Punta Eugenia and Mag Bay.
A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Knights of Pythagoras
Funny how falling feels like flying
for a little while - Bad Blake
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David K
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Thanks... either my memory is slipping or I have never seen that name on any map... at least the ones on my walls! LOL
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mtgoat666
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Lost ship of the desert
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Gulf of Ulloa? |
Dk: google and Wikipedia are your friend,....
Francisco de Ulloa (pronounced: [fɾanˈθisko de uˈʎoa]) (died 1540) was a Spanish explorer who explored the west coast of
present-day Mexico under the commission of Hernán Cortés. The reports of his expeditions along the Baja California peninsula are credited with being
influential in the perpetuation of the 17th century cartographic misconception of the existence of the Island of California.
It is not known whether Ulloa accompanied Cortés on his first expedition to the New Spain. By the account of Bernal Díaz del Castillo, he came to
Mexico later while transporting letters to Cortés from his wife. According to some early historians, Ulloa was influential in helping subdue the Aztec
capital Tenochtitlan by naval power.
In 1539, at the private expense of Cortés, he embarked on an expedition in three small vessels, sailing north from Acapulco to explore the Pacific
Coast, and to seek the mythical Strait of Anián that supposedly led to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, proving the existence of the Northwest Passage. The
expedition left on July 8 sailing northwards along the coast and reaching the Gulf of California six weeks later. Ulloa named it the "Sea of Cortés"
in honor of his patron. When one of his ships was lost in a storm Ulloa paused to repair the other two ships, and then resumed his voyage on September
12, eventually reaching the head of the Gulf.
Unable to find the Strait of Anián, Ulloa turned south and sailed along the eastern coast of the Baja California peninsula, landing at the Bay of La
Paz. After taking on supplies of wood and water Ulloa rounded the tip of the peninsula with great difficulty and sailed northward along the western
shore in the Pacific Ocean.
The progress of his small ships was hampered by the fierce winds and high seas he encountered, eventually forcing him to turn back to New Spain. The
voyage eventually reached 28 degrees north near the Isla de Cedros.
Although his discoveries lent support to the fact that Baja California was a peninsula, his reports were used to create maps depicting California as
an island. According to Díaz del Castillo, Ulloa was stabbed to death by a sailor after his return in 1540. By other accounts, his ship was lost
without a trace during the return voyage from Baja California. Supposedly his ship was swept inland with a tsunami, later becoming known as the Lost
Ship of the Desert.[1]
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David K
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Posts: 64862
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Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Gulf of Ulloa? |
Dk: google and Wikipedia are your friend,....
Francisco de Ulloa (pronounced: [fɾanˈθisko de uˈʎoa]) (died 1540) was a Spanish explorer who explored the west coast of
present-day Mexico under the commission of Hernán Cortés. The reports of his expeditions along the Baja California peninsula are credited with being
influential in the perpetuation of the 17th century cartographic misconception of the existence of the Island of California.
It is not known whether Ulloa accompanied Cortés on his first expedition to the New Spain. By the account of Bernal Díaz del Castillo, he came to
Mexico later while transporting letters to Cortés from his wife. According to some early historians, Ulloa was influential in helping subdue the Aztec
capital Tenochtitlan by naval power.
In 1539, at the private expense of Cortés, he embarked on an expedition in three small vessels, sailing north from Acapulco to explore the Pacific
Coast, and to seek the mythical Strait of Anián that supposedly led to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, proving the existence of the Northwest Passage. The
expedition left on July 8 sailing northwards along the coast and reaching the Gulf of California six weeks later. Ulloa named it the "Sea of Cortés"
in honor of his patron. When one of his ships was lost in a storm Ulloa paused to repair the other two ships, and then resumed his voyage on September
12, eventually reaching the head of the Gulf.
Unable to find the Strait of Anián, Ulloa turned south and sailed along the eastern coast of the Baja California peninsula, landing at the Bay of La
Paz. After taking on supplies of wood and water Ulloa rounded the tip of the peninsula with great difficulty and sailed northward along the western
shore in the Pacific Ocean.
The progress of his small ships was hampered by the fierce winds and high seas he encountered, eventually forcing him to turn back to New Spain. The
voyage eventually reached 28 degrees north near the Isla de Cedros.
Although his discoveries lent support to the fact that Baja California was a peninsula, his reports were used to create maps depicting California as
an island. According to Díaz del Castillo, Ulloa was stabbed to death by a sailor after his return in 1540. By other accounts, his ship was lost
without a trace during the return voyage from Baja California. Supposedly his ship was swept inland with a tsunami, later becoming known as the Lost
Ship of the Desert.[1] |
Oh, I KNOW who Ulloa was... thanks... I just don't recall seeing the name 'Gulf of Ulloa' on a map or in a book.
Keep up with the history Goat, learn it before they rewrite it to change it, so it reads more PC! 
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