Despite ongoing efforts by Mexico, illegal gillnet fishing of totoaba, whose swim bladder is in high demand in Asia, is threatening the vaquita with imminent extinction, as the porpoise gets entangled in the illegal nets. An estimated 30 vaquitas only are left in the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, the only place on Earth where they can be found.
Following a field mission jointly with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, IUCN recommends listing the site as ‘in danger’. A number of urgent measures are recommended, including a permanent ban on gillnets and international cooperation to halt illegal wildlife trade.
The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to mobilise urgent action to tackle severe issues that can damage the outstanding values of World Heritage sites. Out of 238 sites listed for their natural values, 18 are currently listed as ‘in danger’.
IUCN’s advice is addressed to the World Heritage Committee, the governing body of the World Heritage Convention, which will meet at its annual meeting in Kraków, Poland from 2 to 12 July. IUCN is the advisory body on nature under the Convention and the Committee takes the final decisions.
For the 2017 meeting, IUCN has prepared recommendations together with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre for 58 natural sites facing threats, and has evaluated 13 proposals to inscribe new sites on the World Heritage List, or extend and modify sites already listed.
Today UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre released a final set of reports, following two dispatches on 19 May and 2 June. In addition to the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, natural sites featured in the reports issued today include: Simien National Park in Ethiopia, the Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar, and the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru – a mixed natural and cultural site.
Read more about IUCN’s 2017 recommendations to the World Heritage Committee:
- IUCN says Ivorian park should come off World Heritage ‘danger list’ as chimps make comeback
- IUCN recommends listing key habitats for species conservation as World Heritage
- www.iucn.org/41whc
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