Mexico City (AP) —The Mexican Navy launches a controversial plan to drop concrete blocks to the bottom of the Gulf of California on Tuesday to hook an illegal net that drowns endangered vaquita. He said he did.
Of the small, elusive porpoises, only eight remain in the Gulf, also known as the Cortez Sea. They live only here and cannot be captured and bred in captivity.
Kogashira rats are trapped in gill nets and drown. Floating bags are rare in China, and Totoaba is a fish that sells for thousands of dollars (kilograms) per pound.
The Mexican government has largely abandoned efforts to keep small fishing vessels away from the 110-square-mile (288-square-kilometer) “zero-tolerance” area near San Felipe in Baja California.
Environmentalists say the plan to sink 193 concrete blocks was approved on Tuesday without public comment, and metal hooks attached to the blocks could engulf marine life and continue to drown. He expressed concern that it might accumulate.
“This is a complete surprise as the statement on environmental impacts was approved in record time in six weeks. Public comments were not published,” said Alex, Mexico’s representative of the Biodiversity Center. Oliveira says.
The Mexican Environment Agency admitted that there were no public comments, saying it was because no one requested comments. This department has become known for its rapid approval of government projects.
There are many questions about the plan. It scatters one block every 1km across the zero tolerance area, with the metal hook being attacked. It is not clear how or if the trapped net will be recovered from the water.
“The net can get caught in these hooks, but I don’t know. I’m talking about a net that’s hundreds of yards (meters) long, so could the net get caught and doubled? I don’t know. A sword with a blade, and a trap Bakitas, “said Oliver.
Abandoned nets, known as “ghostnets,” can continue to kill marine life for years.
Another expert did not want to be quoted by name for fear of retaliation, but said the plan could discourage illegal fishermen by stealing nets.
But he added that it is important for the Navy to regularly clear the trapped nets. “Or other species could be killed there.”
In a statement announcing the plan, the Navy vaguely mentioned “recovery of detained nets.” In reality, the diver will have to get off and manually disconnect from each of the 193 blocks every few days.
Given the fishermen’s rebellion and the lucrative nature of the illegal trade in dry Totoaba bladder, there is no guarantee that fishermen may not physically or GPS mark the location of the fish in and around the block.
Last year, the Mexican government abandoned its policy of keeping fishing boats away from the “zero tolerance” zone in the upper bay. Then, if more than 60 fishing vessels were seen many times in the area, it introduced a sliding scale of punishment.
Oliverra expressed doubt. “They can’t check these blocks daily,” he said.
Earlier this year, the United States filed its first trade-based environmental complaint under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, claiming that Mexico did not protect the species.
Mexico agreed to the investigation. Under the treaty that came into force in 2020, complaints could lead to trade sanctions.