Historically, the Chilean dolphin has been hunted both for food and for crab bait (Reeves et al 2008). Although cetaceans are now protected by law in Chile (Torres et al 1979), regulation enforcement is virtually...
Vaquita
Species:
Phocoena sinus
Photo: Chris Johnson earthOCEAN www.vaquita.tv
Type:
Mammal
Distribution:
Northern Gulf of California, Mexico
Population:
~ 250
Bycatch Threat:
Gillnets
IUCN Status:
Critically Endangered
Gillnet fisheries pose the greatest threat to the vaquita population. Current bycatch estimates are unavailable, but in the early 1990s an estimated 39 to 84 individuals were caught by fishermen from one town (D'Agrosa et al 2000).
D'Agrosa, C, CE Lennert-Cody, O Vidal. 2000. Vaquita bycatch in Mexico's artisanal gillnet fisheries: driving a small population to extinction. Conservation Biology 14(4): 1110-1119.