Mexico hopes to avoid sanctions on vaquita’s near extinction

By MARK STEVENSON

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico is seeking to avoid potential trade sanctions this week for failing to stop the near-extinction of the vaquita, the world’s smallest porpoise and most endangered marine mammal. Studies estimate there may be as few as eight vaquitas remaining in the Gulf of California, the only place they exist and where they often become entangled in illegal gill nets and drown. The government submitted a protection plan this week to the international wildlife body known as CITES. It lists establishing  “alternative fishing techniques” to gillnet fishing as one its top priorities. In reality, the government’s protection efforts have been uneven. It has largely refused to spend money to compensate fishermen for staying out of the vaquita refuge and to stop using gill nets.