A Mexican fisherman died after his boat collided with a larger vessel captained by the US conservation group Sea Shepherd, the past 31 from December.
The NGO Sea Shepherd said that the crash occurred when some fishing boats, known as pangas, attacked one of its vessels in the Gulf of California, where it is carrying out a mission to protect the vaquita marina or cochito, a species of cetacean considered at high risk of extinction.
The Secretariat of The Mexican Navy confirmed that the Farley Mowat was “carrying out surveillance and protection tasks” and that “upon noticing the aggression , began maneuvers to leave the area. ”
The Secretariat added that“ an aggressor Panga-type vessel with two fishermen on board intentionally crossed its route (navigation route), therefore the ‘Farley Mowat’ collided with the aforementioned smaller vessel, where the two fishermen on board were injured. ”
The fisherman’s family, however, alleges that their boat was rammed intentionally and asked on social networks that his death “not go unpunished,” according to the AFP agency.
Alfonso Pérez, Secretary of Health of Baja California, said on Monday that the fisherman had died after suffering serious injuries, while a second remained in stable condition.
According to the Mexican magazine Proceso, the antagonism and the clashes between local fishermen and the organization have been increasing.
The community of San Felipe and coop Fishermen’s organizations are trying to reach an agreement to take action against the Sea Shepherd organization, reported Proceso.
“Violent attack”
According to Sea Sheperd, their vessel was removing an illegal fishing net from a protected area, when fishermen threw sinkers, dead fish, and attempted to douse the vessel with gasoline.
He adds that some fishermen threw a net at them to jam the ship’s propeller, while others boarded the boat and allegedly took some items.
“Following a routine anti-piracy procedure, the Farley Mowat undertook defensive maneuvers to avoid attacks. When the boat tried to leave the place, one of the [botes] crossed aggressively in front of the Farley Mowat, colliding directly with the hull ”and breaking in two, stated the NGO.
Sea Shepherd explained that the crew of the Farley Mowat les provided first aid to the two men who had been on board the fishing boat, a version with which The Mexican Secretariat of the Navy agrees.
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Conservationists working for Sea Shepherd have been attacked several times during the patrolling the sanctuary of the vaquita marina.
The group collaborates with Mexican authorities in removing illegal gillnets used to catch totoaba fish, a species that is also threatened but highly prized as a delicacy in China .
The nets are designed to catch the heads of the fish but not their bodies, however, they are also responsible for catching and killing endangered dolphins and cetaceans.
According to experts, only survive 15 specimens of the vaquita in the Gulf of California, its only habitat.
The species, which is the smallest porpoise, was discovered in 1958, but now faces imminent danger of extinction .
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