Mexico sanctioned for not protecting endangered porpoise

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico acknowledged Saturday it has sanctions from the international wildlife body known as CITES for not protecting the vaquita marina, a small porpoise that is the world’s most endangered marine mammal.

The sanctions have not yet been announced, but they could make it difficult for Mexico to export some regulated animal and plant products like crocodile or snake skins, orchids and cactuses. Commercial seafood species like shrimp would not be disturbed, but the ruling sets a precedent and some groups are forcing for seafood import bans.

"While no one relishes economically painful sanctions, all other efforts to prompt Mexico to save the vaquita have failed,” said Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We hope these strong measures wake up the Mexican government.”

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that CITES had ruled that Mexico’s protection plan for the vaquita was incomplete.

Studies estimate there may be as few as eight vaquitas remaining in the Gulf of California, the only place they exist and where they often become entangled in illegal gill nets and drown.

The Foreign Relations Department said CITES had ruled the protection plan “inadequate” and said the full ruling — and possible sanctions — “will be officially announced next week.”