By José Antonio Pérez
During removal of prohibited totoaba fishing gear from the Upper Gulf of California, PROFEPA staff along with the Navy, Federal Police Division, and National Commission of Aquaculture and Fishing (CONAPESCA) rescued a Pacific Green sea turtle, also known as the Galapagos green turtle (Chelonia agassizii), stuck in one of the nets.
After determining the turtle did not appear to be injured, and was in seemingly good health, it was released back into its habitat. PROFEPA staff (Federal Environmental Protection) then removed the illegal net to help prevent future harm to other sea life, including sea turtles, totoaba, or cetaceans such as the endangered vaquita marina.
The Green Turtle (Chelonia agassizii) is listed on the Official Mexican Regulation NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 as being at risk of extinction. It is found generally along the Pacific coast of the Americas, from Canada to Tierra del Fuego, generally a maximum of 500 kilometers from shore.