Last month, we reported on the Vanishing Vaquita – Losing the World’s Cutest Cetacean to inform people of one cetacean species whose population is dwindling drastically.
Now, we are happy to report that there is hope for these adorable porpoises.
Even though their numbers are still less than 100, people are taking action and seeking to change the dim future of these mammals.
The vaquita inhabit a small northern portion of the Gulf of California. Unfortunately, this area is also a main hunting ground for fishermen looking for the highly sought totoaba. The best way to catch this fish is by using gillnets, and often times, the vaquita become by-catch of these expeditions.
The Mexican federal government, inspired by conservation groups from around the world, have proposed a $37 million USD compensation plan that will ban the use of gillnets in the vaquita regions and compensate fishermen that stop using them all together.
The ban could potentially be in effect within a few months.
Read more about what’s being done to save the vaquita on the Yucatan Times.