Happy #EarthDay to the planet's most special place the #Vaquita Refuge

illustration Lilian Tendilla

Reported actions by @Profepa_Mx April 15-19 include monitoring of the sea lion colony on Roca Consag island in the #Vaquita Refuge with @pescaabc. Encouraging signal for reducing gillnet threat here is it's one of the only growing colonies in the entire Gulf of California.
x.com/PROFEPA_Mx/...

Lanzan campaña para fotografiar a la vaquita marina Frida Campaña intenta conservar a la vaquita marina Frida y a su especie en México.

amp.milenio.com/comunidad/l...

Community monitors will be searching especially for #vaquita porpoise mother Frida, recognizable by her kinked dorsal fin. "This year is only training since last survey was very recently in Sept 2025. The next month-long survey will be May 2027" @JulianEscutia to @fannymiranda26

Realizarán crucero de entrenamiento para observadores comunitarios de vaquita marina Del 19 al 29 de mayo se realizará un crucero de entrenamiento en San Felipe, Baja California, para observadores comunitarios dedicados al monitoreo de la vaquita marina.

www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/re...

Taking local capacity for #vaquita porpoise monitoring to the next level with training for San Felipe community observers, renewal of environmental eDNA study by @taniavaldiviac, & launching @CONANP_mx 2026 acoustic program to detect porpoise ultrasonic clicks with hydrophones.
x.com/ernesto_men...

Pescadores de San Felipe en espera del borrador del nuevo acuerdo 2026 del Mar de Cortez - La Voz de la Frontera | Noticias Locales, Policiacas, sobre México, Mexicali, Baja California y el Mundo Las pangas no han tenido ningún problema con la Armada de México, aunque ha habido algunos contratiempos con dos o tres pangas que se han extralimitado la línea de lo correcto

2/2 But key aspect is gillnets banned in an area which overlaps 85% of current #Vaquita Refuge boundaries, a situation which always existed on paper, but never in practice. US seafood imports won't be restored until only vaquita-safe gear is used there.
oem.com.mx/lavozdelafr...

1/2 San Felipe fishers await new amendments to 2020 gillnet ban agreement, saying that they successfully argued against govt #vaquita expert advisory committee CIRVA's recommendation to expand the Zero Tolerance Area to the north where porpoises were sighted in May 2025 survey.
x.com/lavozfronte...

Reducing Dolphin Deaths from Gillnets: 3 Solutions Showing Promise — WWF Protecting Whales & Dolphins Initiative WWF is working with scientists and local fishing communities, such as in Peru and Indonesia, to trial new ways to reduce bycatch by attaching objects to gillnets. The general idea is to make the gillnets visible, highlighting them on a dolphin’s underwater map as it navigates the sea. 

wwfwhales.org/news-storie...

Tying potential deterrents (LED lights, plastic bottles, acrylic beads, acoustic pingers) to net mesh to reduce entanglement by increasing visibility to cetacean eyesight & echolocation shows experimental promise, but #vaquita too rare to risk trials, focus on net-free zone 1st.

No gillnets or gillnetted seafood detected at inspections of 13 fishing cooperatives & markets 🤨
x.com/PROFEPA_Mx/...

Gobierno fracasa en frenar redes ilegales y deja a la vaquita marina a días de su extinción La vaquita marina enfrenta su etapa más crítica con menos de 10 ejemplares, en un escenario donde la pesca ilegal continúa operando pese a años de prohibiciones y operativos fallidos

"Only solution is to completely eliminate gillnets, a goal that has not been achieved due to lack of economic incentives & effective agreements with fishing communities. Without this, recovery is unfeasible & functional extinction could occur at any time"
tribunademexico.com/gobierno-fr...

1/2 Carlos Puelma @TribunadeMexico: "98% drop in #vaquita population over 3 decades marks one of Mexico's most serious environmental failures. The engine of the problem is economic & criminal. The government's actions have been reactive & limited. Room for maneuver is narrowing

April 7 cleanup of San Felipe's Las Escaleras beach by @CONANP_mx & @SEMAR_mx included hauling off 86 kg of washed-up ghost gillnets.

Alto Golfo: entre restricciones y mercado débil, la economía pesquera busca reactivarse La rentabilidad en el sector ha disminuido de forma sostenida....

This marketing development program should be based on modification of the 2020 gillnet ban agreement which prohibits the use of curvina gillnets (although Conapesca has continued to issue permits), with a limited exception for indigenous Cucupa community.
www.meganoticias.mx/s-luis-r-co...

The impact of #vaquita fishing restrictions, loss of US market & low prices for seafood affect not only Upper Gulf fishers but also "a wider network of businesses, services & families." Sonora state govt to make a loan to Golpac company to build a curvina value-added market.
x.com/MEGASLRC/st...

Pescadores del Golfo preparan redes para la temporada de chano y curvina con buenas expectativas - Tribuna de San Luis | Noticias Locales, Policiacas, sobre México, Sonora y el Mundo Algunos pescadores se preparan para la captura de varias especies, invierten hasta 40 mil pesos en su elaboración

oem.com.mx/tribunadesa...

Santa Clara fisher interviewed as he makes a finfish gillnet for chano (milkfish) sold to China. Each net costs about 40,000 pesos (USD $2,300) & can be re-used for up to 4 spring seasons. Technically this net is illegal under 2020 regulation not yet changed to reduce ban area.
x.com/TribunaSL/s...

From March 25-29 @PROFEPA_Mx & its partner agencies recovered three unattended gillnets in #vaquita habitat - a higher number than in previous reports. No #totoaba gillnet seizures or arrests have been announced so far this spring spawning season in the Upper Gulf of California
x.com/PROFEPA_Mx/...

Happy Vaqueaster!

This beetle had juice ngl
Still psyched #vaquita made it to final four out of dozens of endangered species. Great for raising awareness. Support much appreciated 🙌

2/2 Vote today & tomorrow before 130 afternoon eastern time ✅✅
Help support @IUCNCetaceanSG vaquita experts🐬💙
It's easy, no need to register 😀
Vote percentages now hidden 🫣
uproar.indianapoliszoo.com/

1/2 Choose vaquita porpoise from the final round for
four favorite endangered species
#Vote4Vaquita
With 22 hours to go, it's a special election where you can still vote twice 😅
x.com/ernesto_men...

USTR Releases 2026 National Trade Estimate Report

ustr.gov/about/polic...

With #USMCA (which includes "enforceable labor and environmental obligations") 6th anniversary review coming in July, @USTradeRep annual report faults Mexico for illegal fishing in #vaquita habitat, already since 2022 the subject of the treaty's first environmental consultations
x.com/USTradeRep/...

2/2 compared to when I arrived in 2018 to a sea upholstered in totoaba gillnets. Prices now not the same, & presence of @SEMAR_mx @SeaShepherdSSCS & other measures implemented in the area has caused the poaching to decrease, but the problem does continue"
archive.today/2026.03.31-...

1/2 Tis the season (#totoaba spawning), time for a well-researched & presented article on swim bladder #BiologicalBitcoin & impact on #vaquita porpoise by @Fannymiranda26 in @Milenio incl interview @VFelbabBrown
Ray of hope from @PronaturaNoroes Valeria Towns "Huge difference..
x.com/Milenio/sta...

Chuck: The Sea Lion That Came Back A California sea lion entangled in abandoned gear. A 14-minute rescue on the deck of the M/V Seahorse. And a moment none of the crew had ever seen before.

seashepherd.org/2026/03/27/...

At least somebody in San Felipe feels better today following yesterday's San Felipe 250 offroad races and after parties 😀
x.com/JulianEscut...