IUCN LISTING AND THREATS TO VAQUITA

In 1978, the IUCN red-listed vaquitas as vulnerable. By 1990 they were listed as endangered, and just 6 years later, in 1996, they were listed as critically endangered. Fishermen local to the Gulf of California primarily use gillnets, aiming to catch another endangered species, the Totoba. Totoba are illegally caught by fisherman for their valuable swim bladders which are popular in China. Gillnets are basically net walls which catch anything and everything that crosses their path. Gillnets set to catch Totoba often accidentally entangle Vaquita. The main threat to Vaquita is entanglement in gillnets, as the mortality rate from entanglement is higher than the species’ birth rate, causing a rapid decline in population. How would you like it if you were minding your own business and walked right into a trap that wasn’t even made for you! Gillnets set to catch shrimp and other small species can also trap Vaquita. Being bycatch is a huge threat to not only the vaquita but a number of other species.