Mexico may reduce protection area for endangered porpoise
Source: Associated Press
Mexico may reduce protection area for endangered porpoise
February 27, 2021
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government said Saturday it is considering reducing the protection area for the vaquita marina in the upper Gulf of California, an apparent admission that the tiny porpoise may never return to the entire historic range of its habitat.
The move would cut the area where gill nets are banned to protect the world’s most endangered marine mammal and smallest porpoise. As few as 10 vaquita may remain in the Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place in the world that the elusive porpoise lives.
Mexico’s Environment Department said Saturday that the drop in the number of vaquitas and the area where they have been seen in recent years justifies reducing the protection zone, which currently covers most of the upper Gulf. The zone starts around the Colorado river delta and extends south past the fishing town of San Felipe and near Puerto Peñasco.
“The possibility is being studied of modifying the area of gill net bans,” the department said in a statement. “There have been enough technical studies to indicate a possible reduction in the zone, according to the recent distribution of the vaquita marina in the area.”
It said the change would be submitted for discussion by a group including fishermen, the public and authorities, and said formal proposals could be presented until March 26.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-porpoises-mexico-environment-cortez-0b97ddf094973ada56861ff32ff68f67
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