Vaquitas Could Soon Be Extinct. Mexico Will Largely Determine Its Fate.
The vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal, is on the verge of extinction in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Environmental groups estimate that fewer than 10 vaquitas remain in the world, their population drastically reduced due to gillnet fishing. In an effort to save the vaquita, environmental groups and authorities have banned the use of gillnets in certain areas, increased monitoring and, for a while, provided subsidies to fishermen to keep them out of the water. Even so, the demand for shrimp and lack of effective monitoring have prevented a significant recovery of the species. The situation is further complicated by poverty and the lack of economic alternatives for local communities, who depend on fishing for their livelihoods. My goal was to show the complex nature of the issue and why efforts to save the vaquita have proven so daunting.