Hope for Next Year

By Esteban Moctezuma Barragan and Pritam Singh

The holiday season brings with it reflection on the year that is coming to an end and hope for the year ahead. This has never been truer than in the ocean conservation collaboration between Sea Shepherd and the Mexican Government, where we are actively protecting marine life in the Upper Gulf of Mexico, the Guadalupe Islands and the Revillagigedo Archipelago.

We are proud to report that women and men from various Mexican agencies partnered with Sea Shepherd captains, crews, and scientists to record a historic year in protecting our oceans. Together, we are redefining what civil society around the world can achieve when professionalism, transparency, trust, and commitment are applied to the complex challenges of the 21st century.

Sea Shepherd debuted its new vessel M/V Seahorse in January to protect the Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) of the UNESCO-recognized Vaquita Refuge Area. The vessel's mandate is to work alongside the Secretary of the Navy to prevent poachers from deploying illegal fishing gear that traps the world's most endangered marine mammal, the Vaquita porpoise, as it is such gear, such as nets, that has brought the Vaquita to the brink of extinction.

In March, our partnership was recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on the state of the world's nature, with an encouraging report on our collaboration in the Upper Gulf of California. In April, we were able to jointly announce a 90% reduction in illegal fishing in the ZTA in the 75 days since the introduction of the new vessel M/V Seahorse in the campaign to protect the Vaquita.

Our greatest motivation came in May when we conducted the Vaquita Survey 2023 led by fourteen highly trained and experienced observers who tracked Vaquita from the Seahorse and other vessels. The survey showed the existence of 10-13 Vaquita, including at least one newborn calf, which has now been sighted in two consecutive surveys. The calves signify hope.

Dr. Barbara Taylor, leader of the comprehensive assessment, noted, "This survey revealed the greatest success in vaquita conservation in my 30 years working to conserve this species."

Media outlets around the world shared the encouraging results of the survey, as well as supporters such as Leonardo DiCaprio.

Our collaboration helps many other species as well. With CONANP, Sea Shepherd's Operation Revillagigedo strengthens protection measures for the Pacific humpback whales that visit the Revillagigedo Archipelago to breed and calve. Data on the status of this population, its distribution, health, genetics and behavior are crucial for the development and implementation of effective conservation measures in Mexico and other countries. Operation Guadalupe, which began in 2016, helps preserve and protect Cuvier's whales in the waters surrounding Guadalupe Island, off the coast of Mexico.

Building on the motivation of spring and summer, in October we signed a historic endangered species conservation agreement at the headquarters of the Mexican Navy, which expanded our Vaquita protection collaboration by more than 60%. The expanded collaboration extends protection to the west and northwest of the current ZTA to include areas where the Vaquita Survey 2023 identified significant numbers of Vaquita sightings.

The start of a new year brings new responsibilities for new species. Beginning in January 2024, our collaboration will protect endangered totoaba throughout the Vaquita Refuge, and we will be introducing a high-speed vessel to bring Mexican Navy and Sea Shepherd teams to the farthest corners of the Refuge in a matter of minutes. Our collaboration will continue to develop a new program to help sea lions trapped in discarded fishing gear, and each time our crews remove deadly ghost nets, we will work together, side by side, to free marine life before it is too late.

Earlier this month, Secretary of the Navy vessels were installing concrete blocks in the expanded area of the ZTA, and these blocks, equipped with tall, curved arms to catch floating ghost nets, have proven to be an effective tool to prevent illegal discarded fishing nets from causing further harm to Vaquitas and totoabas.

The successful collaboration between the Government of Mexico and Sea Shepherd also speaks to the commitment of the United States and Mexico to make progress on key issues, despite the challenges inherent in such a large, vibrant and complex relationship. Our collaboration underscores our shared dedication to safeguarding the precious resources of our oceans and preserving the delicate balance of our natural world.

Esteban Moctezuma is Ambassador of Mexico to the United States of America and Pritam Singh is CEO and President of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.