The DEATH of a SPECIES - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

makobob · 10-08-2017, 01:36 PM

New post on Mako-ville

Vaquita almost EXTINCT
by Makobob
Another poorly waged battle fought and the war was LOST to our greed. Another SPECIES dead. For what? WHY?

NOW that there appears to be less than 30 Vaquita still alive in the WORLD. Little can be done to save them. Small, shy, but beautiful, the Desert porpoise were awesome to sea in the wild. Their flattened face and racoon like eyes are easy to spot. Mom's with their pups not much larger than a football were not an uncommon site in the past. They were often seen around the San Felipe area.

I saw my first one as a child fishing with my dad and grandpa. We were on a panga outside San Felipe in 1958. The panga driver pointed them out to me. They were quickly gone, very shy. In 1995 I found one on the beach at Las Encantadas, dead after a storm. I buried it in the dunes behind mako-ville.

Our brothers and sisters of the sea gave their lives for a Asian aphrodisiac. Human greed and pleasure killed them. I am so disappointed in our species. Will we never learn?

In weeks there will be an attempt to capture the few remaining individuals. We the arrogant beings we are, will try to breed them in captivity. If we caught EVERY Vaquita,alive and unstressed there is not enough genetic material to keep their Species alive. Cross breeding with other small harbour porpoise whole just give us another hybrid. The Vaquita as a SPECIES would be gone.

And what pressures would be put on the new Vaquita half-breed? How long would the new group last before they too were exploited? WE are killing our planet with our GREED. The oceans are dying. Toxic waste is every where, over fishing, trash, our SEAS are dying. WHEN they DIE so do we!

Maybe the world would be better off without us? Excuse me for loosing direction. The Vaquita are gone and I for one am saddened to the bottom of my soul. WE did this. WE have not done our part to save them. Good bye my brothers and sisters in the Sea of Cortez. I for ONE will miss you. And many others too. Bye, Bye. Yes I am crying, and I know not for whom.

This rocks me to the very bottom of my soul, some of you will feel the same. What do we as a SPECIES do to keep it from happening again? PLEASE tell me.

Croaker Dave · 10-08-2017, 03:08 PM

Orca Winfrey · 10-08-2017, 03:19 PM

These stories make me sick to my stomach. I hope attitudes towards species conservation grow stronger. I know we have made some progress but we have so far to go to fight greed and selfishness.

makobob · 10-08-2017, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca Winfrey

These stories make me sick to my stomach. I hope attitudes towards species conservation grow stronger. I know we have made some progress but we have so far to go to fight greed and selfishness.

SO, how do WE turn it around? What can each of us do?

Orca Winfrey · 10-08-2017, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makobob

SO, how do WE turn it around? What can each of us do?

I can only think of setting examples, word of mouth, electing the right people and maybe supporting organizations like The Nature Conservancy and WWF. Yeah, kinda weak.

makobob · 10-08-2017, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca Winfrey

I can only think of setting examples, word of mouth, electing the right people and maybe supporting organizations like The Nature Conservancy and WWF. Yeah, kinda weak.

There has to be a better way. AND SOON, we are killing this planet.

Baja_Traveler · 10-08-2017, 08:11 PM

The plight of the Vaquita is no different than that of the White Rhino. So long as you have an indigenous group of people who are willing to make a buck by poaching with zero regard for law or the wildlife they are killing, these animals will have no hope. Just last year a group of Mexican fisheries scientists were ganged up on and beaten by these same poachers. Why the Mexican government did not go in and throw them all in jail is beyond me. At least in Kenya, they are taking it seriously and using lethal force against the poachers. Usually I have no use for extremist organizations like Sea Shepard, but in this case I'm glad they are patrolling the north sea of Cortez and destroying illegally placed gill nets as they find them.

https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.asp...d=676&id=21081

DanaPT · 10-08-2017, 08:24 PM

Google invetro meat.

Soon enough, if not too late, real food will be a luxury.

PapaDave · 10-09-2017, 07:12 AM

It's only going to get worse, there are too many people and still growing. Water, food, area, all are going to be consumed.

How else do you feed 7.44 billion people? This site shows just a few stats about what we people use...

http://www.theworldcounts.com/counte...ion_statistics

Try to imagine 250 million pound of meat, then try to imagine where it comes from and how much it takes to produce it. The numbers are staggering. I don't even know how we can produce what/where we do, let alone what will be needed in the future.

So we all sit in front of our TV's watching football games, mini-series, and the rest while eating snacks or chowing down on some burgers or steaks. We are raping the planet and ignoring the fact that we do.

I could go on but why bother....

kirkdavis · 10-09-2017, 08:24 AM

We did the same thing to the bison, whales, and to a lesser extent elk, turkey, deer, etc. We have learned from our mistakes, but when we try to point it our to other people, they say "what makes you so special? Who do you think you are to tell us what to do with our natural resources?" It is a tough nut to crack.
The mentality is different. The people who are doing the actual poaching are just trying to make a living. The middlemen in many cases are the ones making the profit.

driftwood · 10-09-2017, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaDave

It's only going to get worse, there are too many people and still growing. Water, food, area, all are going to be consumed.

How else do you feed 7.44 billion people? This site shows just a few stats about what we people use...

http://www.theworldcounts.com/counte...ion_statistics

Try to imagine 250 million pound of meat, then try to imagine where it comes from and how much it takes to produce it. The numbers are staggering. I don't even know how we can produce what/where we do, let alone what will be needed in the future.

So we all sit in front of our TV's watching football games, mini-series, and the rest while eating snacks or chowing down on some burgers or steaks. We are raping the planet and ignoring the fact that we do.

I could go on but why bother....

makobob · 10-09-2017, 11:00 AM

The way we are going it will finally come down to just one thing............................................. .................................................. .........PEOPLE EATING PEOPLE. That is the end result. And WE are doing it to ourselves. So AGAIN I ask what can we do about it. The answer is out there, we just need to find it. Thanks amigos.

DanaPT · 10-09-2017, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makobob

The way we are going it will finally come down to just one thing............................................. .................................................. .........PEOPLE EATING PEOPLE. That is the end result. And WE are doing it to ourselves. So AGAIN I ask what can we do about it. The answer is out there, we just need to find it. Thanks amigos.

I've started on my personal Farm to table solution, won't be fully enough, but I haven't bought veggies all summer.

The answer is out there. Smart people are working on feeding the 7 billion people.

https://goo.gl/GZCCHY

I guess so long as you don't mind beef, fish, or chicken from a lab, then no problems. Otherwise, better raise it yourself.

How would an AP system work out in Mako-ville?

makobob · 10-09-2017, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaPT

I've started on my personal Farm to table solution, won't be fully enough, but I haven't bought veggies all summer.

The answer is out there. Smart people are working on feeding the 7 billion people.

https://goo.gl/GZCCHY

I guess so long as you don't mind beef, fish, or chicken from a lab, then no problems. Otherwise, better raise it yourself.

How would an AP system work out in Mako-ville?

We are in the middle of the desert on the SEA of Cortez but I am looking into it. Thanks.

socal.beach.bum · 10-09-2017, 12:41 PM

Harsh truth, there are just too many people on this planet. Plagues, famine, natural disasters are just ways for this planet to try and self regulate. Unfortunately the way things are, the human species probably has less than 1000 years left on this planet. Existinction isn't only for lower apex animals, we are on that list too, we just don't have the awareness to recognize it.

Baja_Traveler · 10-09-2017, 01:43 PM

Aquaponics would work great in Mako-Ville. Pick up a few IBC containers in San Felipe and make an easy conversion for the system. It would have to be placed under shade cloth so it all does not cook in the sun. If you used tilapia as your nitrogen source they could handle the slightly brackish well water, might have to see what the tolerance of the selected plants are though. It could only be pulled off if you lived there full time to take care of it though...

goldenglory18 · 10-09-2017, 02:49 PM

One of the clearest solutions to our Planets problems is leaving behind meat based diets.

It's been almost impossible for me to get on board with, but I know full and well that the best chance for our survival is to adopt a plant based diet....

Bajarick · 10-09-2017, 03:56 PM

Mako! I've lived in BCS for 11 years. Started coming down when the road opened in 1974. The only thing you, or I, or anyone without the clout of big bucks, is just say no. Probably does nothing, but it makes me feel better. I never eat shrimp....no way to take it in the Sea of Cortez without screwing up other things. I never buy fish at the market. If you don't know how it got there it was probably over harvested with nets locally. I've seen huge bites of tuna wiped out overnight here by netters. There is no enforcement. Same thing with restaurants. If you didn't bring the fish to them then where did they get it? Lots of restaurants get fish from the sportfishing crews. The ones that shoot the pics of 15 hanging fish. When I see those I just shake my head and am ashamed I fish. "Oh, we kept them because the crews families eat them"
I know, I'm ranting. But what used to be isn't any more. Still better than most places but.....
Chicken is nice in restaurants

monstahfish · 10-09-2017, 07:16 PM

One thing I'm in the process of is divesting from companies and banks that profit from environmentally unsound practices. For example, pepsi was destroying massive amounts of rainforest for palm oil. I signed a petition for them to stop and stopped buying products with palm oil. I cancelled my chase credit card and told them it was because they were funding oil pipelines. Citi is next. I'm looking for a new bank, probably a credit union as I've heard they can't invest your money without disclosing where it goes. If anyone has a good recommendation on that, let me know.
If all these people understand is greed, I'll take my money and hit em where it hurts. I'm also a monthly donor to the sierra club and life member with trout unlimited which has been very successful in lobbying for clean water.
Our backwards and corrupt politicians are another target. Don't vote for politicians who take money from polluters or try to block progress on clean energy. By the way, we keep going down this road, we're gonna end up like China with way too many people hopefully we can responsibly curb our population growth but I believe a pandemic is coming, if we don't kill each other first.

jpp9565 · 10-09-2017, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkdavis

We did the same thing to the bison, whales, and to a lesser extent elk, turkey, deer, etc. We have learned from our mistakes, but when we try to point it our to other people, they say "what makes you so special? Who do you think you are to tell us what to do with our natural resources?" It is a tough nut to crack.
The mentality is different. The people who are doing the actual poaching are just trying to make a living. The middlemen in many cases are the ones making the profit.

Don't forget the Indians.

10-08-2017, 01:36 PM	#1
makobob Baitless on Baja Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vista California, Gonzaga, San Quintin, Asuncion, Mag Bay Posts: 4,250	The DEATH of a SPECIES New post on Mako-ville Vaquita almost EXTINCT by Makobob Another poorly waged battle fought and the war was LOST to our greed. Another SPECIES dead. For what? WHY? NOW that there appears to be less than 30 Vaquita still alive in the WORLD. Little can be done to save them. Small, shy, but beautiful, the Desert porpoise were awesome to sea in the wild. Their flattened face and racoon like eyes are easy to spot. Mom's with their pups not much larger than a football were not an uncommon site in the past. They were often seen around the San Felipe area. I saw my first one as a child fishing with my dad and grandpa. We were on a panga outside San Felipe in 1958. The panga driver pointed them out to me. They were quickly gone, very shy. In 1995 I found one on the beach at Las Encantadas, dead after a storm. I buried it in the dunes behind mako-ville. Our brothers and sisters of the sea gave their lives for a Asian aphrodisiac. Human greed and pleasure killed them. I am so disappointed in our species. Will we never learn? In weeks there will be an attempt to capture the few remaining individuals. We the arrogant beings we are, will try to breed them in captivity. If we caught EVERY Vaquita,alive and unstressed there is not enough genetic material to keep their Species alive. Cross breeding with other small harbour porpoise whole just give us another hybrid. The Vaquita as a SPECIES would be gone. And what pressures would be put on the new Vaquita half-breed? How long would the new group last before they too were exploited? WE are killing our planet with our GREED. The oceans are dying. Toxic waste is every where, over fishing, trash, our SEAS are dying. WHEN they DIE so do we! Maybe the world would be better off without us? Excuse me for loosing direction. The Vaquita are gone and I for one am saddened to the bottom of my soul. WE did this. WE have not done our part to save them. Good bye my brothers and sisters in the Sea of Cortez. I for ONE will miss you. And many others too. Bye, Bye. Yes I am crying, and I know not for whom. This rocks me to the very bottom of my soul, some of you will feel the same. What do we as a SPECIES do to keep it from happening again? PLEASE tell me. __________________ http://www.mako-ville.com Home 760-630-4470 Cell 760-520-2514 YES YOU CAN

10-09-2017, 07:12 AM	#9
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	It's only going to get worse, there are too many people and still growing. Water, food, area, all are going to be consumed. How else do you feed 7.44 billion people? This site shows just a few stats about what we people use... http://www.theworldcounts.com/counte...ion_statistics Try to imagine 250 million pound of meat, then try to imagine where it comes from and how much it takes to produce it. The numbers are staggering. I don't even know how we can produce what/where we do, let alone what will be needed in the future. So we all sit in front of our TV's watching football games, mini-series, and the rest while eating snacks or chowing down on some burgers or steaks. We are raping the planet and ignoring the fact that we do. I could go on but why bother.... __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...

10-09-2017, 08:24 AM	#10
kirkdavis Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: SD County Posts: 360	Part of the problem We did the same thing to the bison, whales, and to a lesser extent elk, turkey, deer, etc. We have learned from our mistakes, but when we try to point it our to other people, they say "what makes you so special? Who do you think you are to tell us what to do with our natural resources?" It is a tough nut to crack. The mentality is different. The people who are doing the actual poaching are just trying to make a living. The middlemen in many cases are the ones making the profit.

10-09-2017, 11:00 AM	#12
makobob Baitless on Baja Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vista California, Gonzaga, San Quintin, Asuncion, Mag Bay Posts: 4,250	The way we are going it will finally come down to just one thing............................................. .................................................. .........PEOPLE EATING PEOPLE. That is the end result. And WE are doing it to ourselves. So AGAIN I ask what can we do about it. The answer is out there, we just need to find it. Thanks amigos. __________________ http://www.mako-ville.com Home 760-630-4470 Cell 760-520-2514 YES YOU CAN

10-08-2017, 03:08 PM	#2
Croaker Dave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: OC Posts: 171

10-08-2017, 03:19 PM	#3
Orca Winfrey Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: The I. E. Posts: 353	These stories make me sick to my stomach. I hope attitudes towards species conservation grow stronger. I know we have made some progress but we have so far to go to fight greed and selfishness.

10-08-2017, 08:11 PM	#7
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	The plight of the Vaquita is no different than that of the White Rhino. So long as you have an indigenous group of people who are willing to make a buck by poaching with zero regard for law or the wildlife they are killing, these animals will have no hope. Just last year a group of Mexican fisheries scientists were ganged up on and beaten by these same poachers. Why the Mexican government did not go in and throw them all in jail is beyond me. At least in Kenya, they are taking it seriously and using lethal force against the poachers. Usually I have no use for extremist organizations like Sea Shepard, but in this case I'm glad they are patrolling the north sea of Cortez and destroying illegally placed gill nets as they find them. https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.asp...d=676&id=21081

10-08-2017, 08:24 PM	#8
DanaPT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South OC Posts: 1,606	Google invetro meat. Soon enough, if not too late, real food will be a luxury.

10-09-2017, 12:41 PM	#15
socal.beach.bum Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Palos Verde, CA Posts: 636	Harsh truth, there are just too many people on this planet. Plagues, famine, natural disasters are just ways for this planet to try and self regulate. Unfortunately the way things are, the human species probably has less than 1000 years left on this planet. Existinction isn't only for lower apex animals, we are on that list too, we just don't have the awareness to recognize it.

10-09-2017, 01:43 PM	#16
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	Aquaponics would work great in Mako-Ville. Pick up a few IBC containers in San Felipe and make an easy conversion for the system. It would have to be placed under shade cloth so it all does not cook in the sun. If you used tilapia as your nitrogen source they could handle the slightly brackish well water, might have to see what the tolerance of the selected plants are though. It could only be pulled off if you lived there full time to take care of it though...

10-09-2017, 02:49 PM	#17
goldenglory18 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 861	One of the clearest solutions to our Planets problems is leaving behind meat based diets. It's been almost impossible for me to get on board with, but I know full and well that the best chance for our survival is to adopt a plant based diet....

10-09-2017, 03:56 PM	#18
Bajarick Junior Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: BCS Posts: 13	Mako! I've lived in BCS for 11 years. Started coming down when the road opened in 1974. The only thing you, or I, or anyone without the clout of big bucks, is just say no. Probably does nothing, but it makes me feel better. I never eat shrimp....no way to take it in the Sea of Cortez without screwing up other things. I never buy fish at the market. If you don't know how it got there it was probably over harvested with nets locally. I've seen huge bites of tuna wiped out overnight here by netters. There is no enforcement. Same thing with restaurants. If you didn't bring the fish to them then where did they get it? Lots of restaurants get fish from the sportfishing crews. The ones that shoot the pics of 15 hanging fish. When I see those I just shake my head and am ashamed I fish. "Oh, we kept them because the crews families eat them" I know, I'm ranting. But what used to be isn't any more. Still better than most places but..... Chicken is nice in restaurants

10-09-2017, 07:16 PM	#19
monstahfish Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 421	One thing I'm in the process of is divesting from companies and banks that profit from environmentally unsound practices. For example, pepsi was destroying massive amounts of rainforest for palm oil. I signed a petition for them to stop and stopped buying products with palm oil. I cancelled my chase credit card and told them it was because they were funding oil pipelines. Citi is next. I'm looking for a new bank, probably a credit union as I've heard they can't invest your money without disclosing where it goes. If anyone has a good recommendation on that, let me know. If all these people understand is greed, I'll take my money and hit em where it hurts. I'm also a monthly donor to the sierra club and life member with trout unlimited which has been very successful in lobbying for clean water. Our backwards and corrupt politicians are another target. Don't vote for politicians who take money from polluters or try to block progress on clean energy. By the way, we keep going down this road, we're gonna end up like China with way too many people hopefully we can responsibly curb our population growth but I believe a pandemic is coming, if we don't kill each other first.