Vaquita’s Zero-Tolerance Zone.

A more controversial domestic debate is unfolding in the Upper Gulf of California. As of February 2026, Mexican officials are considering a reorganization of the zero-tolerance area intended to protect the vaquita porpoise the world's most endangered marine mammal. The proposal suggests narrowing the protected zone to accommodate local fishing communities, citing research that the remaining vaquitas (estimated at only about 10 individuals) are concentrated in a smaller area. Conservationists are sounding the alarm, arguing that any reduction in protections could lead to the species' immediate extinction, while the government balances environmental survival against the economic needs of coastal towns.

©YovaniBernard