Saving Great Whites In Mexico?

If you're a reader of this blog you know we like smart metrics based shark conservation efforts.

In fact we're almost fanatical about them and if they have a local flavor to them - more the better.

That's why you rarely see us posting about women hanging from fish hooks in soap stores because at the end of the day conservation noise like this makes no sense, saves no sharks, and is as about as self serving as an overworked and wheezing Frozen Yogurt machine on a hot July day.

So when smart initiatives being put forth by dedicated people pop up we're quick to point them out.

Case in point, the Mexican initiative to educate coastal fishermen along Baja and Sea of Cortez. Run by Dr. José Leonardo Castillo-Geniz and a host of others in Mexico this is real boots on the ground shark awareness at it's finest. And it is desperately needed as well.

You'll note our 5 year running expose on one fish market in Ensenada, Mexico where white shark pups regularly arrive to be sold as Swordfish and Mako for just pesos a kilo. White sharks are meant to be protected in Mexico and yet they appear in videos and images on a disturbingly regular basis.

Part of this is the nature of the fisheries.

Inshore long lining catches both tuna and swordfish and a healthy numbers of white shark pups. Many of these pups are dead when they arrive back to the boat and asking a small, poor fisherman, to dump a carcass worth a few dollars makes little sense. But reminding this same fisherman that these animals are protected does make sense because for those few animals that arrive back to vessels alive, or are still alive in nets they now have a fighting chance.

Nothing in this world is perfect when it comes to conservation initiatives. But efforts like these, targeting remote fish camps and leaving behind great POS material really makes a fundamental difference and we are thrilled to see it being done. Kudos.

Thanks to the following folks in Mexico who had a hand in this effort:

Pam Baker EDF
Fernando Aguilar Club Cantamar
Juan Carlos Cantu of Defenders of Wildlife Mexico
Dr. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Dr Dení Ramírez Whale Shark Paper - Great Stuff

Back in 2009 we had the distinct pleasure of meeting Dr Dení Ramírez at the Socorro islands in Mexico.

She was on an exploratory trip to the islands studying the elusive Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus).

Dr Ramírez latest focus is on Holbox, well known to shark fans the world over as perhaps one of the best places to interact with and see large groupings of these magnificent critters. She has recently publish a new paper on her findings in the Journal of Fish Biology.

Sadly there's growing evidence of vessel strikes on these animals that may be attributed to commercial shark tourism in the region.

Patterns in composition, abundance and scarring of whale sharks Rhincodon typus near Holbox Island, Mexico

Abstract

Photo-identification and conventional tagging were used to estimate population size and structure of the whale shark Rhincodon typus near Holbox Island, Mexico. From 2005 to 2008, photographs of spot patterns behind the last gill slit and in a lateral view on the left side of each animal were used to identify individuals. Additionally, 578 R. typus were tagged using conventional marker tags. Of these and the 350 R. typus that were identified from 1184 photographs, 65% were male; 27%, female and 8%, indeterminate sex. Photographed R. typus ranged in size from 2·5 to 9·5 m total length. Size was bimodal with a large peak at 6 m and a smaller peak at 7 m. Photo-identification showed that there was considerable loss of marker tags. Few of these remained on the animals for more than a year, so that interannual re-sights using tagging could not be used in population modelling. Forty six interannual re-sightings were found in the photographic library; the interval between these re-sightings was typically 1 year. It was estimated that the R. typus aggregation near Holbox Island ranged from 521 to 809 individuals, based on mark-recapture models. From 13 to 33% of R. typus photographed had scars that were attributable to boat strikes. This study provides a baseline for assessing the status of R. typus near Holbox Island. This information is useful to understand drivers of local population size and distribution and potential concerns about increasing effects of tourism on R. typus in this area and for designing better management programmes for R. typus conservation.


Paper here.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Dates Announced for Whale Shark Festival in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

ISLA MUJERES, MEXICO, Feb 02, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and championing the need to preserve a fragile marine ecosystem, ecotourism travel agency Ceviche Tours and the Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism announce the Fifth Annual Whale Shark Festival, a community extravaganza that showcases the achievements, traditions and environmental splendor of Isla Mujeres. 

The Festival will be held June 15-17, 2012 in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico. 

Last year thousands flocked to the family-friendly Whale Shark Festival, which offers guests an opportunity to participate in ecotourism adventures such as swimming with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean and an endangered species; swimming with sailfish; join in traditional dancing performed by local troupes; exploring ancient Mayan ruins and much more. 

Proceeds from the Whale Shark Festival will be donated to Amigos de Isla Contoy, a 501c3 non-profit organization that is involved in the education of the local population on sustainable marine conservation and ecotourism. 

Sustainable Ecotourism The Whale Shark Festival is an effort to raise awareness for the need to preserve the area's marine ecosystem. Isla Mujeres is part of the second largest barrier reef on the planet, and serves as the nursery of the Caribbean and the migratory path of whale sharks, sea turtles, water fowl and game fishes.

"Sustainable ecotourism engages guests in the effort to preserve the culture of Isla Mujeres, their way of life and the marine environment," said John Vater, who co-founded Ceviche Tours with his wife, Adriana, and longtime friend and Isla Mujeres native Luis "Cuco" Refugio and his family.

Swim with 200+ Whale Sharks Kicking off the Festival will be the whale shark bloom, when hundreds of these gentle giants come together to swim in a group near the coast of Isla Mujeres. As many as 1,400 whale sharks may make their way through the waters north of Isla Mujeres every summer according to Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of the Center for Shark Research, Mote Marine Laboratory and scheduled speaker at the 2012 Whale Shark Festival. 

The Isla Mujeres Tourism Department Director, Eyder Jahil Hoth Perez, stated, "Through this event tourism awareness about the whale shark has increased over the last several years, especially regarding the need to protect all our species and natural resources. Ecotourism-related activities have also been creating a new culture of respect and care for our natural resources in the new generations of islanders. In this, children have been playing a very important role toward changing behaviors that were unsustainable in the long term." 

Exciting Activities for the Whole Family Guests of the Festival can participate in a wide array of activities: 

Swimming with Whale Sharks -- Guests can swim with whale sharks and join a conservation effort spearheaded by ECOCEAN, a non-profit organization that maintains the global Whale Shark Photo-Identification Library, a visual database of the unique markings, or spots, that can identify individual whale sharks and track them. Guests can add their underwater photos of the whale sharks to ECOCEAN's global database. 

Fun for Families -- The Festival will feature many educational children's activities about environmental conservation. 

Academic Seminars and Film Showcase Scientists from around the world will attend to present a series of Academic Seminars on marine biology, sustainable ecotourism and Mayan architecture. Renowned marine biologist Rafael de la Parra, who discussed his groundbreaking research, "An Unprecedented Aggregation of Whale Sharks, Rhincodon typus, in Mexican Coastal Waters of the Caribbean Sea" at last year's Whale Shark Festival, will again be speaking and also organizing the 2012 panel of distinguished speakers. 

The Immediate Shark Conservation Horizon - SINO's

SINO's - Sanctuary in Name Only is a pejorative term that refers to a nation state whose recently declared "Sanctuary Waters for Sharks" are considered insufficiently enforced or otherwise not conforming to actual sanctuaries in any form.

Six foot female white shark 2010, Ensenada

The good news about 2011 are the plethora of nations around the world who have signed on for Shark Sanctuaries. The list reads as a triumph to many thousands of hours of hard work and efforts by untold numbers of shark conservationists to see actual conservation change.

But have we reached the Second Act of this shark conservation push?

As Mexico announced a full court ban on shark fishing in their waters in 2012, jumping on the bandwagon in the Latin America behind Honduras, how will they and other nations enforce this ban?

We have seen first hand how hard it is for Mexico to address even basic fisheries policy with white sharks, declared off limits in 2007 in a move that was heralded by shark conservation.

The reality on the ground has been very different for these magnificent animals and other shark species in the region.

As late as August 2011 we have continued to document one small fish market in Ensenada, Mexico where white sharks are still being caught and sold, sometimes as many as six in a day, sold as swordfish and marlin for as little as 50 pesos a kilo.

We began this investigation eight years ago, alerting other commercial shark diving companies and conservation groups in the region with a series of ongoing and well documented blog posts.

Three foot white shark pup sold as Marlin, Ensenada 2008

The economics behind this continued catch of white sharks and blind eye by the agencies meant to be enforcing fisheries rules and regulations in Mexico is the growing reality of SINO's.

These sharks are the by-product of local inshore tuna and sword fisheries. To comply with white shark bans local Mexican fishermen have three choices:

1. Stop fishing

2. Modify long line fisheries

3. Dump dead white sharks overboard

SINO's are the looming Act Two for shark conservation. Getting a politician to make promises for the environment is a time honored tradition. Getting that same politician or his or her successor to follow through with hard and fast enforcement is where the rubber meets the road.

That rubber will cost millions of dollars to the shark conservation movement who have managed thus far to get Sanctuaries declared at a pace that has been stunning to watch. It has also been a relatively cheap affair, conservation light, with dollars spent verses sanctuary acres created part of the ongoing equation.

Where enforcement monies, infrastructure, and boots on the ground will come from for these newly created sanctuaries anyone knows.

Before another country declares a Sanctuary for Sharks we should be looking at how we are going to manage the millions of remote acres we already have locked away in countries that have a long track record of SINO.

It's where we have to focus in the next decade and it all starts with dollars and a plan.

San Agustinillo, Oaxaca Shark Fishing Video

A regional shark fishing boat comes back to Playa San Agustinillo, Mexico with the days catch.

San Agustinillo is known as an upscale tourism hub in Mexico on the Pacific coast. Most of these sharks will be finned and the meat sold as "swordfish" in local markets.

Shark fishing completely banned in Mexican waters?

The National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) decided to ban the fishing of all shark species in federal waters on both coasts in order to contribute to the conservation of the resource.

The ban will be extended during the period of greatest reproductive intensity of the main species, that is to say, between May and August each year, and in each particular region.

According to Mexican fishery authorities, this is the first such action taken in the countries of Latin America.

Commission officials met on June 2 with concessionaires and licensees of commercial fishing for shark and specialists in this resource to present the results of "research on reproductive periods of representative species and the effects of their protection" by scientists from the National Fisheries Institute (Inapesca), reported Conapesca.

During the meeting held in Mexico City, Inapesca researchers detailed the methodology used in the sampling, presented the results of the studies in the geographical areas where the fleet of the country's coastal work and the information from the observers’ programme on board.

Before publishing the establishment of the closed season in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF), Conapesca will perform indications regarding the regulatory project with additional technical considerations made by experts of the Institute.

The meeting was also attended by some representatives of the National Chamber of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Canainpesca), of the Union of Coastal Shipowners from Océano Pacífico AC, of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (Conacoop) and Inapesca specialists.

Juan Campos Cárdenas, a spokesman for the Federation of Shark and Scale Cooperatives assured that fishermen are willing to enforce the ban. However, he sought to establish compensation for the period of inactivity.

While the Government considers that about 30,000 tonnes of sharks are caught annually in Mexican waters, several organizations for the protection of marine fauna warn that overfishing has reduced the volume, AFP reported.