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Photos by Megan Rogers and Eco-Alianza staff.
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By Megan Rogers, Eco-Alianza Intern with contributions by Eco-Alianza staff
More than 50 volunteers rolled up their sleeves on July 14 at the Santispac beach on Bahía Concepción in Mulegé, determined to do whatever is necessary to support a critically endangered fish, the Totoaba. On that day, the task was to release 30,000 young fish into the bay, a bucketful at a time.
When the 244 islands and islets of the Gulf of California were declared a World Heritage Site in 2005, the Totoaba was one of the reasons – an endemic, endangered species that historically has been an important food source in the area. Currently it is also the center of controversy, as illegal fishing operations target the species and sell it covertly to a black market in China that covets only part of the fish, its swim bladder. The gill nets that are used to catch Totoaba in its range in the northern Gulf also are blamed for the precipitous decline of the world's most endangered cetacean, the Vaquita (see article below).
As Totoaba have become rarer and rarer, the Mexican government has taken a variety of steps to conserve both the Totoaba and the Vaquita. One of the efforts for the Totoaba involves a privately-owned company called Earth Ocean Farms in La Paz, which operates a hatchery for the fish and raises them through aquaculture until they are large enough to have a fair chance for survival.

This is the third year that Eco-Alianza has taken part in the fish release, sanctioned by México's secretariat in charge of fisheries, Sagarpa, as well as Semarnat. Part of the reasoning for the release site is that it's an area within the natural range of the Totoaba, but is nearly 400 miles south of the range of the Vaquita.
Although the program has a bit of a wait-and-see, experimental element to it, helping an endangered species in any way is a positive step, says Eco-Alianza President and CEO Hugo Quintero. "Even if all the Totoaba babies released are eaten by larger fish, events like these not only aim to help the ecosystems, but to change the mind-set of all the participating people, engaging them in conservation and in a responsible consumption of seafood products." Releasing the animals, he says, "brings hope to young kids and helps them feel both connected to nature, and part of a potential conservation solution." This year, he said, several special needs children from Santa Rosalía took part, giving them a rare opportunity for a hands-on conservation experience.
Amidst a diverse crowd of passionate adults, my camera lens gravitated most towards the glowing faces of the children at the Totoabas release. Though I come from a dramatically different climate and culture, I could relate to the excitement of the children in full, recalling my own Salmon release experience when I was their age. The physical impact of the Totoabas release will remain largely ambiguous, as the fish were not tagged in any way; however, the greatest impact of the release could be in the memories made by children. It is experiences like the Totoabas release that cultivate the next generation of environmentally connected and conscious citizens. Witnessing the joy of the children as they liberated the precious fish gave me immense hope that as they grow into teens and parents one day, environmental awareness will be a part of their identity.

Thank you to Eco-Alianza volunteer José Gregorio Ruiz Cheires for creating this video of the event:
https://youtu.be/iAnWjejqIxA
Here's a link to a video on the Totoaba issue, in Spanish
https://youtu.be/lXc6CZ7NmNo
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UNESCO Meeting Yields Surprising Results Regarding Vaquita
Photo courtesy of Center for Biological Diversity.
Earlier this month, the annual meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, in Krakow, Poland, resulted in some unexpected results for many involved in the struggle to save the Vaquita, the world's most endangered cetacean.
The small porpoise, which lives in the northern Gulf of California and nowhere else, has dwindled over the past decades from an estimated population of almost 600 in the late 1990s to 245 in 2008; 200 in 2012; 97 in 2014, 60 in 2015; and now 30. The marine mammals' main cause of mortality has been entanglement and subsequent drowning in fishing nets, many aimed at another endangered species, the Totoaba fish (see article above).
In a 1972 convention the United Nations created the World Heritage Committee to identify and designate specific sites around the world that contain elements of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), including threatened animals and plants, unique physical or biological formations, and other natural features. The Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California were declared a World Heritage Site in 2005, partly because of the endangered Vaquita and the endangered Totoaba. As a signatory of the World Heritage treaty, it is incumbent upon the Mexican government to conserve and protect the 244 islands and islets that are part of the site, and also the elements of OUV.
Part of the World Heritage convention declares that sites can be declared at the annual meetings as "World Heritage Site in Danger," a designation that allows for other countries to take extreme measures, and use UNESCO funding, to protect the OUV elements of the site. If the site loses its OUV elements, it also allows for de-certification as a World Heritage Site.
Since May 2015, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Animal Welfare Institute have lobbied for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to apply "In Danger" designation for The Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California site, including all five islands in the Bay of Loreto National Park. This year the resolution was widely expected to pass, at the annual meeting in Poland. Part of the argument is that México's government has not taken adequate measures to protect the Vaquita and Totoaba. The petition paper is linked below.
Surprisingly, however, less than two weeks before the meeting, México announced that the temporary gill net ban in the upper Gulf, where the Vaquita live, has been made permanent. The committee at its meeting voted to delay for a year the decision to attach "In Danger" designation to the site.
Links:
http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/unesco-postpones-in-danger-designation/
?utm_source=Mexico+News+Daily&utm_campaign=ab7aafc164-July+6&utm
_medium=email&utm_term=0_f1536a3787-ab7aafc164-347997877
http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/gillnet-fishing-ban-becomes-permanent/
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/vaquita
/pdfs/Gulf_of_California_WH_In_Danger_Petition_5_13_15.pdf
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Sister City Committee Reaching Across
the Border for Cooperation

Linda Kinninger, Arely Arce, Caryl Cantrell, Rosa Campos.
Eco-Alianza staff photo. |
Loreto's Sister City Committee has held several meetings this spring and summer to investigate ways to work cooperatively with a similar committee in our Sister City of Ventura, CA.
Among other topics, the group is considering a variety of fundraising ideas to support cross-cultural trips for exceptional Loreto children to visit Ventura and participate in an exchange program focused on environmental education. |
The trips would also have cultural components, as well as informal opportunities to experience life with American families.
The Sister City Committee in Ventura, as reported previously in Soundings, is considering ideas for a "Migrant Club" project that would benefit Loreto. The group's Migrant Club was initiated earlier this year by 10 Mexican nationals who now live in the Ventura area. Formation of the group may make them eligible for matching funds from the Mexican government for projects that benefit sister communities in México (i.e., Loreto).
Currently, both groups are investigating the feasibility of initiating a used motor oil collection facility for Loreto, which could ultimately result in used motor oil being recycled. The municipality of Loreto is helping to explore the idea, which would require approval of an appropriate site, as well as a variety of environmental and other permits. On the plus side, the facility would ensure that used motor oil is collected in an appropriate manner, instead of potentially being disposed of in ways that could leach into drinking water aquifers or the marine park.
Watch this space for more news on this project and other Sister City/Sister Park/Sister Mission happenings.
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