Cetacean Action Treasury
@cetaceanaction.bsky.social
Rescuing the vaquita porpoise and securing a sustainable fishing future for the Upper Gulf of California with Mexican partners.
www.cetact.org
www.cetact.org
Fishery Improvement Projects FIPs are multi-stakeholder initiatives that help fisheries work towards sustainability. FIP accreditation is necessary for premium price vendors like SmartFish Mexico supporting fair trade for fishers. Webinar tomorrow Pronatura Noroeste on strengthening FIP governance.
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Fishery Improvement Projects FIPs are multi-stakeholder initiatives that help fisheries work towards sustainability. FIP accreditation is necessary for premium price vendors like SmartFish Mexico supporting fair trade for fishers. Webinar tomorrow Pronatura Noroeste on strengthening FIP governance.
Strengthening #Vaquita community monitoring program a focus of 2025 survey "Continued investment & more training can go far in creating a dedicated team to continue vaquita observations & build community knowledge & enthusiasm for saving the vaquita & preserving marine ecosystem"
November 25, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Strengthening #Vaquita community monitoring program a focus of 2025 survey "Continued investment & more training can go far in creating a dedicated team to continue vaquita observations & build community knowledge & enthusiasm for saving the vaquita & preserving marine ecosystem"
#Vaquita porpoise 🐬 in the high level dialogue opening #CITESCOP20 -
Among the group of ministers invited to share their experiences with CITES implementation was Mexico's Marina Robles García, Vice Minister of Biodiversity & Environmental Restoration Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org
Among the group of ministers invited to share their experiences with CITES implementation was Mexico's Marina Robles García, Vice Minister of Biodiversity & Environmental Restoration Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
#Vaquita porpoise 🐬 in the high level dialogue opening #CITESCOP20 -
Among the group of ministers invited to share their experiences with CITES implementation was Mexico's Marina Robles García, Vice Minister of Biodiversity & Environmental Restoration Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org
Among the group of ministers invited to share their experiences with CITES implementation was Mexico's Marina Robles García, Vice Minister of Biodiversity & Environmental Restoration Earth Negotiations Bulletin @enb.iisd.org
Today @Cites #SC79 requested Mexico to fully achieve & report on its #vaquita #totoaba action plan to #SC81 (approx 1 year). US amendment for Secretariat to consider relevant info from other sources unnecessary as @Ben_J_v_R confirmed that Sec does so without explicit mention.
November 23, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Mexico achieved most of its stated goals in its #vaquita #totoaba compliance action plan & Nov 23 @CITES #SC79 will decide a deadline. Alternative gear part is the most incomplete & challenging, but progress includes @IMIPASmex test plan for @pescaabc modified shrimp small trawl.
November 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM
2/2 95 drone flights, 23 hours total. Vaquitas occasionally exhibited mild avoidance behavior when the drone descended rapidly or hovered directly above them below approx 70 m; better to approach gradually, stay high & keep distance for any hope of prolonged observation in future
November 21, 2025 at 1:05 PM
2/2 95 drone flights, 23 hours total. Vaquitas occasionally exhibited mild avoidance behavior when the drone descended rapidly or hovered directly above them below approx 70 m; better to approach gradually, stay high & keep distance for any hope of prolonged observation in future
1/2 Nifty tech: #vaquita survey lead drone pilot @FabianRguez94 flew with adapted LIDAR altimeter at precisely vertical position above the #vaquitas they spotted; calibrated equation converts pixel length into real distance; length & girth estimated for assessing age & condition.
November 21, 2025 at 1:05 PM
3/3 Still most of #Vaquita Refuge unmonitored, too many gillnetters in parts that are, & too many days of skiffs where vaquita porpoises were recently detected outside ZTA area. It's urgent to eliminate gillnetting to prevent extinction & enable recovery.
tinyurl.com/VSC79
tinyurl.com/VSC79
November 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
3/3 Still most of #Vaquita Refuge unmonitored, too many gillnetters in parts that are, & too many days of skiffs where vaquita porpoises were recently detected outside ZTA area. It's urgent to eliminate gillnetting to prevent extinction & enable recovery.
tinyurl.com/VSC79
tinyurl.com/VSC79
2/3 Two different consecutive fishing seasons were compared & overall fishing activity declined annually in both seasons (-37% in shrimp & -19% in finfish). Also, for the first time found annual declines (-23 & -27%) rather than increases in gillnetting in the VRA #Vaquita Refuge
November 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
2/3 Two different consecutive fishing seasons were compared & overall fishing activity declined annually in both seasons (-37% in shrimp & -19% in finfish). Also, for the first time found annual declines (-23 & -27%) rather than increases in gillnetting in the VRA #Vaquita Refuge
1/3 Before @CITES #SC79, new CAT report analyzing @SeaShepherdSSCS counts of fishing skiffs on its ship radar in 4 parts of #Vaquita Refuge - ZTA Zero Tolerance Area, its EXTension (both with anti-gillnet devices), its Buffer Zone & nearby VRA area visible on 8 naut mile range
November 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
At @CITES #COP20 Mexico will be requested to "effectively prevent fishers from using gillnets in the #Vaquita Refuge & vessels from entering the Zero Tolerance Area & maintain these areas completely gillnet-free" but this won't happen without real change in fishing gear & markets
November 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Good long read on 2025 #vaquita survey results, context & implications
Exciting sighting of "a mother & calf close enough to see with the naked eye, doesn’t happen very often as they’re really, really difficult to see. If there’s any swell they just disappear. Plus, there's only a few of them left"
Exciting sighting of "a mother & calf close enough to see with the naked eye, doesn’t happen very often as they’re really, really difficult to see. If there’s any swell they just disappear. Plus, there's only a few of them left"
November 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Good long read on 2025 #vaquita survey results, context & implications
Exciting sighting of "a mother & calf close enough to see with the naked eye, doesn’t happen very often as they’re really, really difficult to see. If there’s any swell they just disappear. Plus, there's only a few of them left"
Exciting sighting of "a mother & calf close enough to see with the naked eye, doesn’t happen very often as they’re really, really difficult to see. If there’s any swell they just disappear. Plus, there's only a few of them left"
A first in #vaquita habitat, making progress for environmental education - some of the crafts & souvenirs made from recycled fishing nets & beach cleanup plastic trash in the Upper Gulf, supported by CONANP, Pronatura Noroeste & Pesca ABC
November 15, 2025 at 11:53 AM
A first in #vaquita habitat, making progress for environmental education - some of the crafts & souvenirs made from recycled fishing nets & beach cleanup plastic trash in the Upper Gulf, supported by CONANP, Pronatura Noroeste & Pesca ABC
1/3 Amazing @nmas #vaquita retrospective with film from 30 years ago, interviewing Caterina D'Agrosa, lead researcher on the only study to properly quantify the level of gillnet bycatch. Entanglement was all too common, & fishers were willing to bring the carcasses back to her.
x.com/nmas/status...
x.com/nmas/status...
November 14, 2025 at 12:03 PM
1/3 Amazing @nmas #vaquita retrospective with film from 30 years ago, interviewing Caterina D'Agrosa, lead researcher on the only study to properly quantify the level of gillnet bycatch. Entanglement was all too common, & fishers were willing to bring the carcasses back to her.
x.com/nmas/status...
x.com/nmas/status...
for now, is reduce gillnet ban area from 10,000 km2 area on paper to an approximation of the Vaquita Refuge area in reality. Such a compromise between science & community, while still risky, is much less so than fishers w vaquita-safe gear permits gillnetting all around the ZTA.
November 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
for now, is reduce gillnet ban area from 10,000 km2 area on paper to an approximation of the Vaquita Refuge area in reality. Such a compromise between science & community, while still risky, is much less so than fishers w vaquita-safe gear permits gillnetting all around the ZTA.
Viral video is one of dozens of Upper Gulf fishers making new shrimp gillnets. It's illegal to make them & use them, but because everyone is doing it, no one is punished. And they shouldn't be, they obviously are not criminals & not seeking to cause harm to #vaquita. Solution ⬇️
November 13, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Viral video is one of dozens of Upper Gulf fishers making new shrimp gillnets. It's illegal to make them & use them, but because everyone is doing it, no one is punished. And they shouldn't be, they obviously are not criminals & not seeking to cause harm to #vaquita. Solution ⬇️
It's encouraging to see Upper Gulf #vaquita safe fishing gear & policy high on CONAPESCA Commissioner's agenda & joint work with SEMARNAT
November 12, 2025 at 12:31 PM
It's encouraging to see Upper Gulf #vaquita safe fishing gear & policy high on CONAPESCA Commissioner's agenda & joint work with SEMARNAT
The return of the Koipai Yuxa is in its Cucapá name, Departing & Returning With Eyes On The Water, chosen by a 2004 children's regional school contest, & its mission, a living remembrance & working legacy of its designer, #vaquita acoustic monitoring & citizen science pioneer Armando Jaramillo
November 11, 2025 at 1:34 PM
The return of the Koipai Yuxa is in its Cucapá name, Departing & Returning With Eyes On The Water, chosen by a 2004 children's regional school contest, & its mission, a living remembrance & working legacy of its designer, #vaquita acoustic monitoring & citizen science pioneer Armando Jaramillo
3/4 Acoustic & visual monitoring provides scientific backing for government dialogue with fishing community, says @SEMARNAT_mx @mroblesg, on adjusting rules for specialized protection zones in the short term, & builds the knowledge for the long term perspective for full recovery
November 10, 2025 at 10:09 PM
3/4 Acoustic & visual monitoring provides scientific backing for government dialogue with fishing community, says @SEMARNAT_mx @mroblesg, on adjusting rules for specialized protection zones in the short term, & builds the knowledge for the long term perspective for full recovery
2/4 & to guide selection of visual search areas as partners work to develop observation capability aboard original Upper Gulf #vaquita research vessel Koipai Yuxa, covered 21 years ago by @RafaGuadarrama, back in San Felipe thanks to #ENDESU @CONANP_mx @PronaturaNoroes @cedo_mex
November 10, 2025 at 10:09 PM