Mexican fishermen burn boat, demand environmentalists out By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press
MARCH 27, 2017 — 3:35PM
MEXICO CITY — Dozens of fishermen have burned a boat as part of a threat to force out a ship operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in Mexico's Gulf of California.
Sea Shepherd has been removing illegal and abandoned nets that endanger the vaquita, the world's smallest porpoise. Illegal fishing for the totoaba, another species, has reduced the number of vaquitas to fewer than 30.
Fishermen in the town of San Felipe painted the name of the Sea Shepherd on an empty, open fishing boat they burned Sunday. They threatened to remove the conservationists' ship themselves if the government doesn't.
"Just as they are judging us fishermen, we will judge all the environmentalists," said Sunshine Rodriguez, a leader of the local fishing cooperative in San Felipe, Baja California. "We aren't going to just sit around."
A speaker at Sunday's protest — which drew hundreds of onlookers and supporters at San Felipe's main waterfront boulevard— said over a loudspeaker, "I'm giving them (the government) five days to get this boat out of our territorial waters, or we will do it ourselves.
The fishermen were angered by conservationists' calls for a boycott of Mexican shrimp, and possible plans to permanently ban all gillnet fishing in the area. Vaquitas get caught in nets set for the totoaba, a fish prized in China for its swim bladder. The dried bladders can fetch thousands of dollars per kilogram (2.2 pounds).
Oona Layole, the captain of the Sea Shepherd ship, said Monday her vessel is planning to stay despite the threats, but noted "the atmosphere is tense."
"I was expecting to get some reaction from the fishing communities, but it is shocking that these people feel that they can publicly express violent threats to us, such as burning our ships," Layole said.
The situation has already turned violent. In early March, a gang of dozens of fishermen overturned inspectors' trucks and burned or destroyed 15 vehicles and patrol boats, as well as beating three inspectors from the office for environmental protection in another town on the Gulf of California, which is also known as the Sea of Cortez.
Then, on March 16, a coalition of U.S. environmental groups launched a call to boycott Mexican shrimp — one of the country's most lucrative seafood exports — to pressure the government to do more to save the vaquita.
Conservationists are pressing Mexico's government to permanently ban all gillnet fishing in the upper Gulf, the only place in the world the vaquita is found. Partial and temporary bans are already in place.
The Sunday demonstration also featured fishermen holding up banners with the names of prominent conservationists, researchers and scientists, on a list of enemies.
In other parts of the world, Sea Shepherd vessels have rammed whaling ships. But in the Gulf, the group's ship has peacefully patrolled the waters, looking for vaquitas — finding some dead and some alive — and illegal nets, which it removes.
A government official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said Sea Shepherd was working jointly with the government to withdraw nets and report illegal fishing, and said the group had been a valuable ally in the effort. The official said authorities would step up protection for the campaign.
Totoaba fishermen have mainly cut and run when confronted by Mexican Navy patrols in the past, but activists and environmentalists have warned that criminal gangs appear to be involved in the lucrative illegal trade and that threats have been mounting.
Last week the government said poachers are using go-fast boats, and in one case led authorities on 50-mile chase, and parked a pickup truck on a beach to load the boat and try to escape.
Experts and the Mexican government previously announced a plan to catch the few remaining vaquitas and enclose them in pens for protection and possible breeding.
Experts acknowledge the catch-and-enclose plan is risky, because the few remaining females could die during capture, dooming the species.
Still, some experts say the capture program may be the vaquitas' only hope. But others worry that fishermen may engage in a free-for-all once the endangered vaquita is removed and thus wipe out other species in the gulf.
Jerry did that link have something to do with vaquitas
Yes...a lot of the problems with the golf are due to the lack of Colorado River flow....the fish numbers are down in large part from this man made event
"Sunshine Rodriguez" Yeah, he sounds like a real ray of Sunshine. Bwhahahaha!
The situation is bound to become more dire. Feed their families? Make the cartels richer? Kill off the last of the vaquita? Cut out those totuaba swim bladders? So, what happens when they are gone? The vaquita gone? The totuaba gone?
The opportunity to rape, pillage and plunder goes away with them. They won't be able to make enough money selling the corvina that might be left and those will quickly disappear as well. And the northern San Felipe/El Golfo area will just become an ocean desert, unless they can open a new market in China for lizardfish. Not like the fishing there has been all that great anyway; I never bother going that far north to fish, even though I have oodles of waypoints up that way. Fishing out of San Felipe is pretty disappointing, too.
I guess it's easy money in the meantime. It's too late for any reasonable eco solutions to work. Like eco boat tours, taking tourists out to see the vaquita, or as I have suggested for many years, issuing a $100 sportfishing stamp for the take of say two sport-caught totuaba with the money funding breeding and restocking programs, or eco system protection. The totuaba have made a pretty amazing comeback. I went many years without ever seeing or catching one. Now, it's not that uncommon to catch one on a trip out by the 22 or even south at the Caballo down by the island. Or even down by Jerry's joint so his stupid buddy captain can catch them and post them on Facebook as "white seabass." What a dolt that guy is!!
But, gill nets will once again wipe out all the big breeders and the population will dwindle as it did in the past. You'd think they might have learned something from the shrimp fishermen. I remember the ruckus, roadblocks, and protests when the govt. mandated a strict shrimp season. "We don't need no stinkin' rules!" Well, ask any of them now whether or not the season has helped improve the catch. It has, the industry itself, which was in tatters, has sustained and recovered quite a bit. A quick trip to the fish market by the malecon proves that point, plenty of good looking shrimp, reasonable prices.
I've also said this a million times. I love Mexico, I don't think there's anyone here that doubts that. But they continue to be their own worst enemy and want to cut their nose off to spite their face. It's sad. Truly sad.
That big blue trouble maker is going to sink at sea or burn while moored at it's home port in San Felipe very soon. Just yesterday I was talking to a guy with a boat from San Felipe while getting my fuel tank drained of water and gas. He has a nice Striper that he launches from the San Felipe marina and sees the Sea Shepherd there regularly. Told me it's just a party boat for young SJW kids that sign on for the "thrill" of "legally screwing" with the local fishermen and that most of the time they are hanging out in town whoopin it up at the bars. He told me that he was surprised that local pangeros hadn't kicked the crap out of any of them yet. I see it out there on our way to and from PP and it's usually anchored or just drifting. I haven't seen the smaller Martin Sheen for more than a year now, musta moved on to better pickins somewhere. Don't ever underestimate the capabilities of the Cartel people as they invented terrorism back in the days of Pablo and his crew, a well placed RPG fired from a panga at the waterline of Old Blue will put an end to their crap in an instant.
I think that the commercial fishing industry will completely crash way before any mass extinction of anything other than the Vaquita occurs. There's a lot of water out there and plenty of places that the nets and bottom scrapers can't get to and being a marine animal means that you must be pretty damned resilient to survive. Unless of course some dumb shit brings live shrimp infected with a shrimp killing virus from Venezuela to the Gila River shrimp farms then takes those shrimp to El Golfo for processing and the heads get tossed into the Sea of Cortez and almost wipe out the Gulf Blues in less than two years time.
I think that the commercial fishing industry will completely crash way before any mass extinction of anything other than the Vaquita occurs.
JJ
I tend to disagree. A collapse of the industry is possible, but you know as well as I do that they just shift focus to another species after extincting the current one. Big or small, they will kill them all. You do know why the Chinese want the totuaba bladders, right? And where this magic healing power (or whatever power they supposedly have) came from, right? Ain't like they jumped in a canoe and paddled on over here to the Cortez and discovered them. No, instead they fished every damned one of their own in the Yangtze River basin out of existence. The "bahaba" or giant yellow croaker pretty much the same fish. Catching a single one these days in China can bring close to $500,000; they are so rare as to indeed be considered extinct at this point. And they... haven't... come... back. After killing all of their own, oh wow! Lookee here! They have the same fish in Mexico, let's go get some. In fact, let's go get as many of those bladders as we can. We don't care about the rest of the fish, let it rot on the beach.
The only things that will ultimately save the totuaba from the douchebag Chinese? Well, it ain't Mexicans for sure. It will be a crashing market for the bladders themselves in China, which has already started to happen. Bladders bought on speculation for $100,000 each are now only bringing a few thousand dollars at best. It's a crumbling market and that's a good thing, it reduces the demand. Second, more enforcement. They recently arrested several big shipments of bladders. Throw the Chinese caught in jail and let them rot for poaching.
On extinction of a fish species - google and read about "Orange Roughy" sometime. This occurred mostly off the coast of Chile, not Mexico, but same-same about pretty much extincting an entire species of fish for commercial purposes until it's no longer viable to even try to catch. Being a very deepwater and extremely slow to reproduce fish, yeah, we've eaten nearly all of them at trendy restaurants over the years. Hey, I'm just as guilty. I loved it and would regularly buy it because everybody had it. Never knew anything about it back then, just yum-yum. Thank-god the whole world is waking up and starting to be more conscious of what they eat and where it came from, but I'm sure we'll manage to whack a species here and a species there before all is said and done. And maybe, just maybe... those SJW kids on the big blue ship are actually helping in this effort. Although I don't doubt they party down in San Felipe. What the hell else is there to do? Ain't like it's a cultural mecca!! :rofl:
"Sunshine Rodriguez" Yeah, he sounds like a real ray of Sunshine. Bwhahahaha!
The situation is bound to become more dire. Feed their families? Make the cartels richer? Kill off the last of the vaquita? Cut out those totuaba swim bladders? So, what happens when they are gone? The vaquita gone? The totuaba gone?
The opportunity to rape, pillage and plunder goes away with them. They won't be able to make enough money selling the corvina that might be left and those will quickly disappear as well. And the northern San Felipe/El Golfo area will just become an ocean desert, unless they can open a new market in China for lizardfish. Not like the fishing there has been all that great anyway; I never bother going that far north to fish, even though I have oodles of waypoints up that way. Fishing out of San Felipe is pretty disappointing, too.
I guess it's easy money in the meantime. It's too late for any reasonable eco solutions to work. Like eco boat tours, taking tourists out to see the vaquita, or as I have suggested for many years, issuing a $100 sportfishing stamp for the take of say two sport-caught totuaba with the money funding breeding and restocking programs, or eco system protection. The totuaba have made a pretty amazing comeback. I went many years without ever seeing or catching one. Now, it's not that uncommon to catch one on a trip out by the 22 or even south at the Caballo down by the island. Or even down by Jerry's joint so his stupid buddy captain can catch them and post them on Facebook as "white seabass." What a dolt that guy is!!
But, gill nets will once again wipe out all the big breeders and the population will dwindle as it did in the past. You'd think they might have learned something from the shrimp fishermen. I remember the ruckus, roadblocks, and protests when the govt. mandated a strict shrimp season. "We don't need no stinkin' rules!" Well, ask any of them now whether or not the season has helped improve the catch. It has, the industry itself, which was in tatters, has sustained and recovered quite a bit. A quick trip to the fish market by the malecon proves that point, plenty of good looking shrimp, reasonable prices.
I've also said this a million times. I love Mexico, I don't think there's anyone here that doubts that. But they continue to be their own worst enemy and want to cut their nose off to spite their face. It's sad. Truly sad.
Hey my buddy is far from a dolt..a damn retired engineer and the go to guy when no one else could figure shit out at one of the wests biggest firms..your just envious because he's living the dream...early retired,cute blonde running partner and fishing g charter business that is really working.He took 4 groups of kids out to a rock pile a mile off shore one day when I was there...didn't even make gas money just to introduce them to fishing they had a ball!
Hey my buddy is far from a dolt..a damn retired engineer and the go to guy when no one else could figure shit out at one of the wests biggest firms..your just envious because he's living the dream...early retired,cute blonde running partner and fishing g charter business that is really working.He took 4 groups of kids out to a rock pile a mile off shore one day when I was there...didn't even make gas money just to introduce them to fishing they had a ball!
Jerry, he may be the best guy in the world. But you're still an idjiot if A) you don't know the species of fish you caught or B) you're stupid enough to post illegal fish you caught on social media to promote your fledgling charter business.
And survey says... he did both. Do you NOT see the issue with this? If not, you're part of the problem and need to shut the fuck up because your "save the sea" shit is nothing but hypocrisy.
Jerry, he may be the best guy in the world. But you're still an idjiot if A) you don't know the species of fish you caught or B) you're stupid enough to post illegal fish you caught on social media to promote your fledgling charter business.
And survey says... he did both. Do you NOT see the issue with this? If not, you're part of the problem and need to shut the fuck up because your "save the sea" shit is nothing but hypocrisy.
Ha,
Stuart said:
Jerry, he may be the best guy in the world. But you're still an idjiot if A) you don't know the species of fish you caught or B) you're stupid enough to post illegal fish you caught on social media to promote your fledgling charter business.
And survey says... he did both. Do you NOT see the issue with this? If not, you're part of the problem and need to shut the fuck up because your "save the sea" shit is nothing but hypocrisy.
cranky this morning sitting at the old desk while us beach house owners sit on a lawn chair watching the sun rise over the Cardon Forrest?....no matter,someday you will get out of the rat race too! Anyways he used our excellent forum and figured it out...even came up with an improved rig to send them back to the bottom being a inventive type....The El Golfo mood is a little bit dark but the Sea Sheapards are doing an excellent job.The reality is sometimes you just have to change jobs.Hell think about all those poor narcs in Colorado now forced on the unemployment rolls because of the great hippie victory! They picked themselves up and now are happily reading parking meters somewhere.
Jerry, he may be the best guy in the world. But you're still an idjiot if A) you don't know the species of fish you caught or B) you're stupid enough to post illegal fish you caught on social media to promote your fledgling charter business.
And survey says... he did both. Do you NOT see the issue with this? If not, you're part of the problem and need to shut the fuck up because your "save the sea" shit is nothing but hypocrisy.
Rick Hammer did the same thing when he bought the big boat and created his website. I emailed him to ask him why in the hell he had a picture of a T Bass as one of the fish a customer might catch.
Rick Hammer did the same thing when he bought the big boat and created his website. I emailed him to ask him why in the hell he had a picture of a T Bass as one of the fish a customer might catch.
Wouldn't surprise me. But he aint' "hammering" fish anymore that I'm aware of. And maybe that's a good thing. Again, like Jerry's friend, Rick isn't a bad guy -- not saying he is. Just making some stupid moves in promoting themselves. One of my first pictures published on Gene Kira's website is a 60 lb. totuava we caught and released at the Caballo. I was scared shitless to even have one in my boat back then. I had heard so much about them being protected and all and thought the police would be waiting to slap the cuffs on me if I brought it into the docks and didn't want one anywhere near my boat. Even today, we always release them, although I've seen a few show up at the harbor from time-to-time as incidental catch that died. That, I don't have a huge issue with. They have come back so well sometimes it's hard not to catch one.
Anyone could just fillet and skin em on their boat while off shore, like I don't. I don't even like the taste of any members of the Croaker tribe. I almost always toss em back, excepting the monster that I got off of La Cholla two years ago. After giving away more than forty pounds of fillets and cubed steaks I still have at least ten pounds of that big boy in my coo-lero. Also, do you have any current contact info on Gene? The last phone number that I have from him when he moved to New Mexico is no longer in service.
Anyone could just fillet and skin em on their boat while off shore, like I don't. I don't even like the taste of any members of the Croaker tribe. I almost always toss em back, excepting the monster that I got off of La Cholla two years ago. After giving away more than forty pounds of fillets and cubed steaks I still have at least ten pounds of that big boy in my coo-lero. Also, do you have any current contact info on Gene? The last phone number that I have from him when he moved to New Mexico is no longer in service.
JJ
Unfortunately, I don't. He and I used to correspond often, but I haven't heard anything from or of him now for quite some time. Man, he wrote the book! The endless hours I would spend reading and planning trips based on the Baja Catch. Addicted me instantly, best fishing "crack" I've ever had. I still break out my old beat up copy of it from time-to-time.
All is lost.......
Thus, in 11 days the communities of the Gulf of Santa Clara, Sonora and San Felipe , Baja California are able to return to fishing without restrictions, using all types of nets, which would pose a serious risk to the small population of vaquita Marine, species in serious danger of extinction, of which less than 30 copies remain.
Conapesca's decision to withdraw the project was interpreted by Carlos Tirado Pineda, leader of the fishermen of the Gulf of Santa Clara as a triumph of the union before the pressure that exerted so that the federal government allows them to return to the sea.
On March 8, the community of the Gulf of Santa Clara attacked inspectors of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) with rocks and sticks and burned 10 official vans, two boats and three quad cars, in the absence of permits for the capture Of Curvina Golfina.
Jcp
All is lost.......
Thus, in 11 days the communities of the Gulf of Santa Clara, Sonora and San Felipe , Baja California are able to return to fishing without restrictions, using all types of nets, which would pose a serious risk to the small population of vaquita Marine, species in serious danger of extinction, of which less than 30 copies remain.
Conapesca's decision to withdraw the project was interpreted by Carlos Tirado Pineda, leader of the fishermen of the Gulf of Santa Clara as a triumph of the union before the pressure that exerted so that the federal government allows them to return to the sea.
On March 8, the community of the Gulf of Santa Clara attacked inspectors of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) with rocks and sticks and burned 10 official vans, two boats and three quad cars, in the absence of permits for the capture Of Curvina Golfina.
Jcp
On the way home yesterday, along the Coastal Hwy never saw a single boat out there, until north of El Golfo. Saw a dozen or so pangas close to shore in probably less than two feet of water hauling ass with their outboards tilted up barely cutting into the sea. We pulled over to see what they were up to plowing through that muddy water. They disappeared somewhere out on the mudflat and as we climbed up the hill onto the desert flats we saw them again, hauling ass in the man made channel that feeds the old abandoned rectangular shrimp paddies, where there were several pick up trucks were waiting for them on the channel bank! No more dealing with the fish police in El Golfo or the deep water Sea Shepherd wacko's, just load em up and avoid the whole sak-o-crap and on to the mudflats where no one would ever expect to see them.
All I can say is that something very "FISHY" was being conducted.
I saw some night time drone footage from the Sea Shepherd yesterday showing pangas pulling in gill nets with the big "T's" in them. So I guess they haul in the nets under the cover of the night. They still must find a safe port to unload their booty. The waters up around El Golfo are too shallow for the Sea Shepherd and her stepchild the Farley Mowat. The Mexican police and military are very well qualified at looking the other way especially when it includes a nice payoff by the so-called "government".
All I can say is that something very "FISHY" was being conducted.
I saw some night time drone footage from the Sea Shepherd yesterday showing pangas pulling in gill nets with the big "T's" in them. So I guess they haul in the nets under the cover of the night. They still must find a safe port to unload their booty. The waters up around El Golfo are too shallow for the Sea Shepherd and her stepchild the Farley Mowat. The Mexican police and military are very well qualified at looking the other way especially when it includes a nice payoff by the so-called "government".
JJ
n “Never Cry Wolf,” Mr. Mowat learned about the lives of wolves with binocular clarity, about their treks to find food in winter and their territorial claims in summer, when they remain in their dens living on mice. (Mr. Mowat, in the interests of science, tried living on them, too, and found the diet nourishing.)
He portrayed wolves as patient and gentle with their own, sometimes even fond of practical jokes. They adopted orphan puppies and babysat for other wolves’ pups. They never killed more than they could eat.
His book is an excellent read. He is credited with saving the Canadian Wolf from certain extinction as they were being completely wiped out by government paid hunters. The government was convinced that the Caribou were declining due to the Wolf when in fact those wolves actually lived off of rodents and rarely killed a healthy Caribou. The movie is pretty good as well since it was made in the days before the PC crowd took over Hollyweird, the star oddly enough is not even of African descent! Mr. Mowat went on to become an outcast due to his commie affinity and eventually left Canada to reside where the hammer and sickle waves on. He was even barred from entering the USA to do his lecture tours for the same reason.
Nothing better than Arctic mice stewed in a white sauce for supper.
Told me it's just a party boat for young SJW kids that sign on for the "thrill" of "legally screwing" with the local fishermen and that most of the time they are hanging out in town whoopin it up at the bars.
This is simply not true. Also, no one else has pulled as many kms of illegal nets by hand than have these so called "party" kids. What have you done JJ, to stop the destruction?
There is no way that I can personally "stop the destruction". I am an American citizen, it is Mexico's problem. Who are you to dictate your personal feelings to a foreign nation? They have their laws and it's up to them to uphold them. I have paid them generously for the privilege to fish their waters for most of my life. I abide by their laws and only take what I can use.
Why didn't someone or some nation send their whiny dimps to stop the destruction of our Buffalo, Passenger Pigeon, Steller's Sea Cow, Carolina Parakeet or the Ivory Billed Woodpecker? You know why? It's our business and if anyone even considered it we would have blown them away.
As a matter of fact I have written something about the Vaquita and the Totoaba's demise at least weekly since joining this forum. That's what I do, inform you and the others of what is really going on. And by the way, as Stu says above: "Big or small, KILL THEM ALL!!!!"
Get off of your high horse and do something yourself, like maybe join up with them, if you can stand the body odor. If you care to read any of my past spewing you just might consider the sarcasm and droll humor.
There is no way that I can personally "stop the destruction". I am an American citizen, it is Mexico's problem. Who are you to dictate your personal feelings to a foreign nation? They have their laws and it's up to them to uphold them. I have paid them generously for the privilege to fish their waters for most of my life. I abide by their laws and only take what I can use.
Why didn't someone or some nation send their whiny dimps to stop the destruction of our Buffalo, Passenger Pigeon, Steller's Sea Cow, Carolina Parakeet or the Ivory Billed Woodpecker? You know why? It's our business and if anyone even considered it we would have blown them away.
As a matter of fact I have written something about the Vaquita and the Totoaba's demise at least weekly since joining this forum. That's what I do, inform you and the others of what is really going on. And by the way, as Stu says above: "Big or small, KILL THEM ALL!!!!"
Get off of your high horse and do something yourself, like maybe join up with them, if you can stand the body odor. If you care to read any of my past spewing you just might consider the sarcasm and droll humor.
JJ
Much truth to what JJ says. As a gringo, there is little I can do to fight the cartel and cooperativas on the high seas. I have delivered the message here, running this site for 2o years now. I have seen the carnage and it disgusts me. But... I don't want to end up with a "friendly" visit in Mexico by some that know who I am. Right, Jerry?
The fact remains that if I feel I have recourse, I take action. More than once, I've cut turtles off illegal long lines in San Carlos. They fucking KNOW taking turtles is illegal, as well as their long line. They challenged me and we immediately start taking pictures. More than once, I've nosed my cat up to the edge of their shitty panga and started revving the motors. They are a long way out from shore and I'd have no hesitation putting both sponsons square up on that bitch and sinking it. They have always hauled ass because A) they know they're wrong and B) they know I'm a crazy fucking gringo that will take them out.
A single turtle is a hell of a payday for them on the black market. Google it, read about the illegal turtle trade in Guaymas. Watch the videos. They are there.
The Mexicans are their own worst enemies. A few dollars slipped into the right pocket makes it all okay. The Vaquita is a sad victim of this same fuckery and now that they can run gill nets again, you can kiss those sad, crying baby dolphins good-bye.
The fact that everything I've said here is true makes it even more tragic.
n “Never Cry Wolf,” Mr. Mowat learned about the lives of wolves with binocular clarity, about their treks to find food in winter and their territorial claims in summer, when they remain in their dens living on mice. (Mr. Mowat, in the interests of science, tried living on them, too, and found the diet nourishing.)
He portrayed wolves as patient and gentle with their own, sometimes even fond of practical jokes. They adopted orphan puppies and babysat for other wolves’ pups. They never killed more than they could eat.
Jungle Jim said:
His book is an excellent read. He is credited with saving the Canadian Wolf from certain extinction as they were being completely wiped out by government paid hunters. The government was convinced that the Caribou were declining due to the Wolf when in fact those wolves actually lived off of rodents and rarely killed a healthy Caribou. The movie is pretty good as well since it was made in the days before the PC crowd took over Hollyweird, the star oddly enough is not even of African descent! Mr. Mowat went on to become an outcast due to his commie affinity and eventually left Canada to reside where the hammer and sickle waves on. He was even barred from entering the USA to do his lecture tours for the same reason.
Nothing better than Arctic mice stewed in a white sauce for supper.
JJ
Another great wolf documentary is Living with Wolves by Jim & Jamie Dutcher. https://www.livingwithwolves.org/about/about-the-founders/
Saw the Dutchers at Mesa Amphitheater a few years ago doing a live documentary on their experiences. Six years camping with & observing the Sawtooth pack. Fascinating!
Wolves. Okay, thanks Jerry. Way to stay on topic.
(I don't care, it's the nature of threads around here.)
I'll just add, that if some dipshit approaches you and tells you how he lives with the bears in Alaska and they accept him as family, ask him if his life insurance is paid up and run like hell! :run::run::run:
Wolves. Okay, thanks Jerry. Way to stay on topic.
(I don't care, it's the nature of threads around here.)
I'll just add, that if some dipshit approaches you and tells you how he lives with the bears in Alaska and they accept him as family, ask him if his life insurance is paid up and run like hell! :run::run::run:
Gila Monster venom will wake one up, but getting stung by 100+ Yellow Jackets all at once while ten miles up on the Salt River is something to never forget.
Can't really picture being hooked in the liver, splain dat please.
Gila Monster venom will wake one up, but getting stung by 100+ Yellow Jackets all at once while ten miles up on the Salt River is something to never forget.
Can't really picture being hooked in the liver, splain dat please.
JJ
ex prize fighter taught me a lesson in San Blas in my 20s.....
Much truth to what JJ says. As a gringo, there is little I can do to fight the cartel and cooperativas on the high seas. I have delivered the message here, running this site for 2o years now. I have seen the carnage and it disgusts me. But... I don't want to end up with a "friendly" visit in Mexico by some that know who I am. Right, Jerry?
The fact remains that if I feel I have recourse, I take action. More than once, I've cut turtles off illegal long lines in San Carlos. They fucking KNOW taking turtles is illegal, as well as their long line. They challenged me and we immediately start taking pictures. More than once, I've nosed my cat up to the edge of their shitty panga and started revving the motors. They are a long way out from shore and I'd have no hesitation putting both sponsons square up on that bitch and sinking it. They have always hauled ass because A) they know they're wrong and B) they know I'm a crazy fucking gringo that will take them out.
A single turtle is a hell of a payday for them on the black market. Google it, read about the illegal turtle trade in Guaymas. Watch the videos. They are there.
The Mexicans are their own worst enemies. A few dollars slipped into the right pocket makes it all okay. The Vaquita is a sad victim of this same fuckery and now that they can run gill nets again, you can kiss those sad, crying baby dolphins good-bye.
The fact that everything I've said here is true makes it even more tragic.
The reference to my "visit" should be something others consider.Also people brave enough to join the Sea Shepherds need to keep in mind these fishermen are controlled by cartel....they need those pangas out there at a minimum to cover the smuggling of dope to baja....Watch yourself...but hey living as a sheep is overrated...time to fight...
There ain't no Crow in Yuma, will a Grackle suffice?
Anyway, there IS something really "fishy" about that video, like totally staged. I like how they conveniently have drones in the air and just filming away, also why do the fish being hauled up out of the water already have their bellies split open? Their state of decomposition and the amount of flies looks more like they were found dead on a beach or inland after being gutted and dumped.
And again, if this is such an issue where is the Mexican law enforcement and military? We have a guy from Mexicali that comes here once a week in a pickup truck with a coolero in the back that sells "White Sea Bass" steaks by the kilo. It is puro Totoaba and he always sells out in just an hour or so. So who cares? No one!
I'd be willing to bet that all they would have to do is just bring one to San Felipe, one to El Golfo and one to PP on a trailer, the immediate VHF traffic would be astronomical within minutes and all pangas would return to base within hours.
Problem solved. If any were found out there in defiance, a few short bursts from those M60's at the pangas waterline followed by an immediate deep 6 would stop it forever, until of course, the gunboat crew gets their cut as to be expected.
I'd be willing to bet that all they would have to do is just bring one to San Felipe, one to El Golfo and one to PP on a trailer, the immediate VHF traffic would be astronomical within minutes and all pangas would return to base within hours.
Problem solved. If any were found out there in defiance, a few short bursts from those M60's at the pangas waterline followed by an immediate deep 6 would stop it forever, until of course, the gunboat crew gets their cut as to be expected.
JJ
That big marine filled boat you see around bird island is pretty gunned up too....the narcos still somehow arrange to nett blues out of season...
Had a strange conversation in Puerto Lobos this past weekend. A school principal from Mexicali told me a lot of the locals over there don't believe the vaquita actually exists. Local fishermen say they've never seen a vaquita. They think it's a hoax designed to drive out the fishermen, possibly to make way for offshore oil drilling in the northern SOC. Despite being well-educated, this guy seemed to be buying into this conspiracy theory.
To be honest, I was a little skeptical myself when I first heard of the endangered vaquita since I've known environmentalists to pull stunts like the Yuma puma and the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. (The game is to seek endangered species status for an animal exhibiting some local variations and try to get special rules and restrictions.) But subsequent research convinced me the animal is real.
I find it pretty disturbing that this rumor has gained some acceptance. Vaquita advocates, both government and non-profit, need to address it if there's any hope of defeating public opposition to the gill net ban. Maybe one of those captured vaquitas should be displayed in a tank along with a young bottlenose so people can see the difference.
And obviously some of the local fishermen are lying.
It goes both ways Audsley,a Mexican wolf showed up last month near my place and the Cowboys tried to claim it was a dog.....had a tracker on it from Mexico so that didn't work.
Had a strange conversation in Puerto Lobos this past weekend. A school principal from Mexicali told me a lot of the locals over there don't believe the vaquita actually exists. Local fishermen say they've never seen a vaquita. They think it's a hoax designed to drive out the fishermen, possibly to make way for offshore oil drilling in the northern SOC. Despite being well-educated, this guy seemed to be buying into this conspiracy theory.
To be honest, I was a little skeptical myself when I first heard of the endangered vaquita since I've known environmentalists to pull stunts like the Yuma puma and the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. (The game is to seek endangered species status for an animal exhibiting some local variations and try to get special rules and restrictions.) But subsequent research convinced me the animal is real.
I find it pretty disturbing that this rumor has gained some acceptance. Vaquita advocates, both government and non-profit, need to address it if there's any hope of defeating public opposition to the gill net ban. Maybe one of those captured vaquitas should be displayed in a tank along with a young bottlenose so people can see the difference.
And obviously some of the local fishermen are lying.
Without prejudice or racism, this seems to be a Mexican "thing." Not just with the vaquita, but with all sorts of things. I mean, if you've read up on the fuel thefts and situation in Puebla recently, the locals actually support them stealing from PEMEX. Cover for them, write songs about them, much like the narco ballads. They government seized six tanker trucks that were stealing fuel and the thieves stole them right back from the government! Amazing. Kind of the same with gillnets. Even though they are indiscriminate killers, the locals support their use. It will never change. On a good day, we can land more quality fish with hook and line than they can with a gill net. But it isn't about quality fish it's about the totuaba bladders right now, at least north of Penasco.
The "little unicorn of the sea" (since it doesn't exist) doesn't stand a chance. Sad.
The vast majority of those really DECENT Mexican people are really just trying to get by, no one is getting rich other than the narcos and big gov guys, even the cops and military are just little fishies in the big cesspool of worldwide environmentaly fueled insanity. We started it, they are just mimicing it in their own little ways. I will guarantee that this very minute there are "think" tanks of USA university types that will do anything to deny you, me or anyone they can in order to have a tiny shred of "control" over to foster their agenda. They look for and obviously fake a single DNA sequence in order to "prove" that some here-to-fore "unknown" 1/4 inch wide Purple Hair Streak Butterfly that only lives on the south slope of some shitty old canyon in SoCal is ENDANGERED when until now no one ever heard of it, and of course means that all forms of development at that local are now forbidden forever.
It used to be that those Barney Fife and Ranger Rick types were just weird-o low paid nice guys out there to help you and me types, now they sport Glocks on their hips, M-16's and Mossburg Combat 12 shotguns in their new fifty thousand dollar pick-ups paid for by you and me. The instant they come in contact with us we are all "perps" and all they want to know is how many violations we have committed whilst they weren't looking.
Just think about their lonely shitty lives stuck in some big liberal city without a chance of ever actually first hand experiencing the desert, Sea of Cortez, the mountains of Sonora or even semi-remote spots in the FUSA. The only way they can lash out is with their high tech fake horse shit.
I can go on for hours, but right now I'm packing up my brand new seventy thousand dollar hot rod Ford pick up truck for a rip roaring weekend in Puerto Penasco Sonora Mexico.
I agree with the "decent" part. Know so many of them and love'em all dearly.
But unlike many, I HAVE actually seen a Vaquita in the wild. Cute little buggers, but very boat shy. Not like the bigger dolphins that will come and play in your wake as you cruise.
To say they don't exist is like saying the world is flat. I hear you to an extent, like the spotted purple dumbledorf butterfly stuff. It can be way extreme. But the Vaquita is nearly gone. And by the looks of it, will be no more in our lifetime.
Have a good trip! I hope to be plying the waters soon!
Great documentary, wish it was about something good in the sea. It paints a very vivid picture about the plight of the vaquita and the hopeless situation they are in. They are caught in the middle of a perfect storm with no realistic chance of survival. Between the Chinese and their historical belief in the magical cures of traditional Chinese medicine. their willingness to pay damn near anything to get it, the narcos providing the marketing, and the poor fishermen who finally have a real chance to make the big money, the little vaquita is totally screwed.
Another consideration into the last one of their kind equation: Just think of the value of the last Vaquitas themselves, as scientific specimens. There are more than likely a few boxed up in dusty old bins at big name museums and university collections, like the skeleton in the video at CEDO I presume. If those money crazed pangueros had a mind to it they could hold the last Vaquita carcasses hostage for any price they demand and only take Bitcoin as payment into a Wells Fargo account in Yuma or El Centro. Think of the value of a newly discovered ancient but well preserved carcass of a Dodo, Tasmanian Wolf, Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet or Ivory Billed Woodpecker!
On our way home back to Yuma on Monday we did see the blue Farley Mowat storm anchored close to shore getting the holy shit beat out of it in ten foot swells a few miles south of El Golfo.
Also, for the first time ever we saw a truck parked near Sam's Club advertising Almejas Fresca de El Golfo de Santa Clara. As if there aren't enough fresh clams available around PP. It is an obvious indication of some rough financial times for the El Golfo panguero fleet.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/china-totoaba-fish-bladder-trade-aquatic-cocaine-money-maw-endangered-species-report-a7317256.html?amp
The totoaba fish bladder is now being referred to as aquatic cocaine and in some cases is more valuable than the drug itself. The totoaba bladder black market is not much different than the illegal drug market that has plagued the US for many years. Both of the markets rely on a demand for the product and that demand is equally strong for each. The American obsession for drugs to "get high"fuels that market, and the Chinese obsession for totoaba bladders as a "cure all" medicine creates the other. The war on drugs has totally failed to control that market and a war on totoaba baddders will most surely have the same outcome. The solution is to curb the demand, but that hasn't happened and isn't going to happen. It is our human nature to make ourself "feel better," through the use of legal or illegal drugs, natural cures such a traditional Chinese medicine, alcohol and tobacco, etc. We are addicted to making ourself "happier," one way or the other. We are our own worst enemy...
Thanks for the eye opener with that link Shark...................
Way back I made some mildly dirty humorous remarks about just what in the hell those ChiComs actually do with the Totoaba GUTS........grind em into a powder, mix em with Panda fat and slather em on their little limp chorisos.
The video actually indicates that that is EXACTLY what they do with the things, dried fish guts wrapped in fancy plastic with a red ribbon and sold in a sex shop! Those ChiCom sub-humanoids are barely one step out of the stone age with more money than God and can pursue their cave man life style to the nth degree, at the expense of an ecosystem fifteen thousand miles away that they are totally ignorant of, or could actually give a shit about.
Same mentality as their desire for all things horny looking, like Geoduck Clams, Sea Cucumbers, Deer antlers, Rhino Horns, etc, etc..........
Sea Shepherd to the final attempt of rescue.
18 pangas at night In protected waters netting and so small gene pool left seems a Lost cause. Still over 50% of school children in Rockypoint think the "Vaquita" is a yankee story to keep fishermen off rich shrimp grounds. Deep roots hard to change.
