Shark Conservation in the Gulf of California

by ICFDN | Jul 18, 2019

When you think about scuba diving in the beautiful waters of the Gulf of California, you imagine swimming alongside an abundance of marine life: adorable sea turtles, colorful parrot fishes, playful sea lions and you hope you get the chance to see a shark.

The shark populations in the GOC have declined in the last 30 years due to heavy exploitation by fisheries. The absence of sharks is a clear sign of an unstable and unsustainable ecosystem. Thankfully, the GOC has many non-profit organizations working diligently to protect its biodiversity. One of those incredible organizations is Pelagios Kakunjá. They have been crucial in the protection and conservation of sharks in the GOC and beyond. Pelagios focuses on the research of shark species in order to generate information for regional management and the implementation of conservation strategies.

Most recently, their technical information was instrumental for the creation of the Revillagigedo National Park (approximately 240 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas).

They are key to establishing no-take zones for the effective protection of sharks. Consider donating today to Pelagios Kakunja so, they can continue collecting the necessary data to create new marine reserves and expand existing ones in the Gulf of California.

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