The Gulf of California – known as the “aquarium of the world” – is a sanctuary for whales, dolphins, turtles, and hundreds of fish species. It is surrounded by desert, but below the surface lies a world rich and abundant in marine life. The body of water stretches across 160,000 km² and is home to more than 5,000 different species. Its beauty has an attractive force, luring not just groups of tourists, but also predators on the hunt for a catch.
The area is increasingly under threat from poaching – the illegal act of hunting and selling marine animals to gain profit. Poaching poses a serious threat to the survival of precious and endangered species and the ecosystems they sustain. The Gulf provides a breeding ground for many of these species, making it an attractive target for criminal activity.
This is what is happening to the sea cucumber – a marine animal that bears a great physical resemblance to the vegetable, except for its beautiful colors and vital role in maintaining healthy ocean floors. Unfortunately, these beneficial qualities are the reason they fall prey to illegal poaching and end up in traditional Chinese medicine.
“The trafficking of endangered species is a highly profitable and illegal activity,” says Alex Olivera from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). The highest bounty is placed on the Totoaba – a fish exclusively found in these waters, with a bladder that is highly valuable on the Asian market. The price can go up to USD 25,000 per kilo, which is why it is commonly referred to as the “cocaine of the sea.” “This has led to the involvement of organized crime in the poaching and export of these species to Asia.”
The vaquita – a small yet extremely endangered porpoise, of which it is estimated there are only around 8 to 10 left in the world – is not a target of these criminal activities but an unfortunate bycatch. The animals get trapped in the gillnets that are predominantly set out to catch shrimp and Totoaba. The use of gillnets and the trade of Totoaba is illegal in the area, but the lack of enforcement makes it an accessible playground for criminals.
The Gulf provides the harvesting grounds for the poachers, but the problem extends well beyond the Mexican borders. The illegal trafficking makes use of traditional trading routes. The organized crime that controls the distribution is a vast international body, with blood running through its veins from the USA to Asia. The poaching and trafficking of marine animals is a global, billion-dollar industry and provides one of the biggest threats to our oceanic ecosystems.
With the increasing depletion of our oceans, the livelihoods of people who depend on these ecosystems are at risk. Over the past few years, organized crime has been growing in scope and is now moving into legal areas, such as the shrimp market. This criminalization of the industry makes it increasingly dangerous for conservationists, such as the CBD, to protect the area. So, while the need for protection is rising, the conditions for providing it are deteriorating.
This paints a bleak picture for the future, where the illegal poaching of marine life not only poses a danger to animals but also to people. The anchor in this storm is the resilience of nature and its widely demonstrated ability to recover. This underscores the importance of well-enforced marine protected areas, where true refuge is provided so that the incredible, abundant wildlife in our oceans – and the communities around the globe supported by it – can be preserved.
Roza Wegkamp for Times Media Mexico.
