Mexico vaquita marina protection CITES Standing Committee, Digi Mart USA News (Geneva, Switzerland): During the 81st meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Mexican government presented progress on protecting the vaquita marina and combating illegal trafficking of totoaba, based on the principle that environmental conservation must go hand in hand with social justice.
The Mexican delegation includes representatives from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Profepa), the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Conabio), the National Commission for Aquaculture and Fishing (Conapesca), and the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE).
Representing Semarnat head Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Undersecretary for Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration and head of the Mexican delegation Marina Robles García said that, in document 33.12.2, the CITES Secretariat recognized compliance with 92 of the 101 goals of Mexico’s Action Plan. She explained that the meeting would present updates on progress toward the nine remaining goals, including the following.
The publication and implementation of the new version of the Regulatory Agreement for the Upper Gulf of California, published on October 14, which integrates the scientific rigor of the CIRVA, the proposals and realities of fishermen, and the recommendations of the Convention.
The implementation of fishing gear marking and satellite monitoring of small vessels.
The transition to alternative fishing methods and the promotion of value-added markets, with communities already benefiting from them.
Coordination with the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), which has secured prison sentences and economic sanctions totaling more than 130 million Mexican pesos, including a sentence handed down two weeks ago of four years in prison and a 19 million peso fine.
Trilateral work with China and the United States, which has helped coordinate recent seizures in Hong Kong and the first legal proceeding linked to information exchange by the Trilateral Contact Group, given the global nature of the illegal trade in totoaba maws.
Continued intelligence, surveillance and cooperation activities to keep the Zero Tolerance Zone secure.
Work with fishing communities to promote conservation and train the daughters and sons of fishermen as the next generation of technical monitors of the species.
Robles García highlighted the presence of vaquita marina calves and said the downward trend in recorded sightings of the species has been contained.
“It is time to move toward an accompaniment mechanism that respects our sovereign actions and celebrates a model where the protection of the vaquita and human prosperity walk together,” the undersecretary said.
The CITES Standing Committee and Parties recognized Mexico’s efforts and achievements in implementing the Action Plan for the protection of the vaquita marina and encouraged the country to maintain its actions and present its results at the 82nd meeting of the Standing Committee, scheduled for next year.
The Mexican government is strengthening the protection of the vaquita marina and the participation of fishing communities in the Upper Gulf of California in its conservation, while promoting fishing alternatives and economic opportunities for their well-being.
