Mexico Pressured on Vaquita Conservation, Fisheries Regulations

Mexico presented the progress of its Action Plan to control totoaba fishing and protect the vaquita marina during the 78th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 

The Mexican government reported that it has completed 82 of the 101 actions outlined in the Action Plan to prevent the illegal fishing and trade of totoaba, its parts, and/or derivatives to protect the vaquita marina. It also emphasized that efforts are underway to complete the remaining actions. Marina Robles, Deputy Minister for Environmental Policy, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and head of the Mexican delegation, highlighted the role played by various authorities working together through the Intergovernmental Group for Sustainability in the Upper Gulf of California. 

Robles emphasized that monitoring efforts have revealed a shift in the status of the vaquita marina population, moving from a decline to stabilization over the past four years. In 2024, the highest population value in the past eight years was recorded, a result attributed in part to a series of measures implemented. Among these is the reduction in the number of boats entering vaquita-inhabited areas, which has decreased from 171 to 4 in the Zero Tolerance Zone over the past two years, reflecting a 97.6% reduction. 

Another significant advancement is the Long-Range Surveillance System, which has a 25km reach. Additionally, the undersecretary highlighted that the Ministry of the Navy continues to place security holograms on legally operating vessels, improving the efficiency of identification and monitoring of smaller boats. 

Beyond institutional efforts, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society shared that it collaborates with the Mexican Navy to monitor, detect, and gather information on illegal fishing activities within the vaquita refuge. In 2025, the organization plans to add additional assets, including boats and drones, to patrol the vaquita’s habitat. 

Despite these advances, the Standing Committee issued a warning to Mexico regarding the continued use of banned gillnets in the vaquita marina’s habitat and the failure to meet key objectives of the Compliance Action Plan for the Upper Gulf of California, such as the installation of geolocation systems on smaller vessels. 

Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, Representative, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), expressed serious concerns about the transition to alternative fishing gear and the effective monitoring of small vessels throughout the vaquita marina’s entire range, both critical aspects for the species’ survival. 

Zak Smith, Director of Global Biodiversity Conservation, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), speaking on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), urged consideration of a trade embargo against Mexico. He argued that after decades of calls for action, the vaquita marina remains on the brink of extinction. "If the Mexican government’s failure to meet its commitments is not enough reason for the Standing Committee to impose a trade suspension, we at least request that Mexico be subject to strict requirements with defined deadlines for compliance or face a gradual trade suspension," Smith stated. 

In response, Robles stressed the need for China and the United States to share responsibility in addressing the issue of illegal totoaba trade, as they are both transit and destination countries for the illicitly traded product. "We invite other countries and organizations to collaborate on this matter, as we know that illegal wildlife trade is a complex issue affecting all nations," she emphasized. 

The committee urged the United States to enhance its intelligence gathering on individuals within its territory who facilitate the transit of illegal totoaba shipments, investigate their modus operandi for receiving, storing, and exporting the illicit merchandise, and base their actions on intelligence-led investigations and operations. This includes exchanging information with Mexican and Chinese authorities to support ongoing investigations along the illegal trade chain. 

Finally, the Committee called on the Mexican government to present a report on the pending objectives of the Compliance Action Plan in November 2025, ahead of the Standing Committee meeting in Uzbekistan. A full report on all results is expected in 2026 for review by participating parties. 

Fishermen Speak Out: Struggles, Demands

Following the release of CITES resolutions, the group Organized Fishermen of the Upper Gulf of California sent a letter to the CITES Secretariat and its member states, requesting that their voices be considered in decisions and recommendations related to the protection of the vaquita marina and the fight against illegal totoaba fishing. 

Fisheries sector leaders warned that overregulation of the region has exacerbated economic hardship, created a lack of opportunities, and in some cases, pushed community members toward illegal activities due to the absence of viable and profitable fishing alternatives. They urged the Mexican government to amend the regulatory agreement established in 2020, which prohibits the use of gillnets throughout the Vaquita Refuge Area, and to adjust protected areas so they can use traditional fishing gear in zones where there have historically been fewer sightings of the world’s most endangered marine mammal. 

The fishermen emphasized that the government has so far failed to consider the opinions of fishing communities in the Upper Gulf of California when making decisions and developing long-term agreements for the region. They expressed frustration over the lack of engagement from the heads of the National Commission for Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA) and the Mexican Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (IMIPAS), who had promised to meet with them before the CITES event to reach agreements and ensure that their concerns were heard in Geneva. 

They asked the international community for support in creating value-added markets that incentivize the use and development of alternative fishing gear, allowing them to sustain their economic activities and livelihoods in a sustainable manner. In exchange, sector leaders committed to strictly respecting gillnet prohibition areas, if these are established through an informed and consensual process with local communities. Moreover, they expressed willingness to actively participate in the testing, design, and implementation of alternative fishing gear and to collaborate with authorities and the scientific community in monitoring and conserving key species, including the vaquita marina. 

"We are convinced that joint efforts between fishing communities, governments, and international organizations are key to ensuring the conservation of marine resources and the well-being of the communities that depend on them," the letter reads.