2023-06-16 22:49:52
Totoaba bladders were transported in a shipment of fish and were discovered in the search
The United States authorities have made a major seizure on the border of Nogales, Sonora, with Arizona. Agents from the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized more than 100 kilos of totoaba crops, a merchandise valued at approximately 2.7 million dollars in the illegal market.
The seizure took place at the Mariposa checkpoint, which connects both borders. During the inspection of a shipment of fish, 242 pounds of swim bladders of totoaba, a species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Endangered Species Act, were discovered. (THAT).
According to CBP, this find constitutes the second largest seizure of totoaba crop bladders in the entire country and the largest in Arizona. Guadalupe Ramírez, Director of Field Operations for the Tucson Office, stressed that this seizure reflects the agents’ respect for endangered species and compliance with wildlife protection laws.
The crop bladders were turned over to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) following preliminary DNA tests confirmed its origin as totoaba, a species endemic to the Gulf of California, in Mexico. The totoaba fish has been considered endangered under the US Endangered Species Act since 1979.
These swim bladders are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine, and as an Asian cultural delicacy with aphrodisiac properties. However, its trade is prohibited in both Mexico and the United States due to the protection granted by the federal governments. Gillnet fishing for totoaba has led to the joint death of the vaquita, another endangered species in the Gulf of California.
This confiscation highlights the importance of combating the illegal trafficking of protected species and safeguarding marine biodiversity. The authorities continue to work to preserve these species and ensure compliance with animal protection laws.
Why is totoaba trafficked?
The totoaba, according to data compiled by Naturalista, has become the most valuable fish in the world due to its swim bladder, known as “crop.” On the Chinese black market, this organ can command a price of over $8,000, as it is believed to have healing properties.
This situation has generated an alarming increase in illegal fishing of the totoaba in recent years, which has brought this species to the brink of extinction. In addition, this problem affects other species, since they tend to get caught in the nets intended to capture the totoaba.
The totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) is a fish endemic to the Gulf of California in Mexico and belongs to the Sciaenidae family. It is also known as curvina, white croaker, drum and grunt, due to the sound it emits through its swim bladder.
According to the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the totoaba can reach 2 meters in length and weigh up to 100 kilograms. It is a fish with a prominent lower jaw and feeds mainly on crabs, shrimp, sardines, and other small fish.
Previously, the totoaba was distributed from the mouth of the Colorado River to Bahía Concepción on the west coast of the Gulf of California. However, its habitat has been drastically reduced in recent decades and it is currently estimated that it is only found in the Upper Gulf of California.
This fish has a long lifespan, being able to live between 25 and 50 years. It reaches sexual maturity between 6 and 7 years, at which time the females usually go to the Colorado River Delta to spawn during the months of March to May.
Sources: La Jornada, Nat Geo
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