Vaquita

Species: 

Phocoena sinus

IUCN Status: 

Critically Endangered
Photo: Chris Johnson earthOCEAN www.vaquita.tv

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).  In 2019, CIRVA reported that probably only 10 individuals remain of this species, 22 at most. (CIRVA, 2019).

References

CIRVA (V). 2019. Report of the Eleventh Meeting of the 'Comité Internacional para la Recuperación de la Vaquita. NOAA, Southwest Fiheries Science Center, 34pp.

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.

Bycatch Threat: 

Gillnets

Population: 

~ 19
Northern Gulf of California, Mexico

Type: 

Mammal