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President Vicente Fox
President Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Official de los Pinos
Col San Miguel Chapultepex
C.P. 11850
Mexico, D.F.
MEXICO
Dear President Fox:
The Society for Marine Mammalogy is an international society of more than 2000 scientists who study whales, dolphins, porpoise, seals and other marine mammals. It is the largest professional society in the world dedicated to the study of marine mammals. Our web sites is http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~smm/.
The previous government of Mexico faced many challenging environmental issues including the proposed construction of an evaporative salt production facility at the protected breeding lagoon for the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) at Laguna San Ignacio, and the conservation of the highly endangered vaquita, or Gulf of California harbor porpoise (Phocoena sinus). The Society for Marine Mammalogy commends the previous administration for its efforts to conserve these pecies and the habitats on which they depend. We are hopeful that your administration will continue to play a leading role in efforts to protect these species and their habitats.
With regard to the vaquita, the Society for Marine Mammalogy notes that the upper Gulf of California has been designated by Mexico as a Biosphere Reserve, and that Mexico is a member of the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA). These activities will aid in the protection of vital habitat and recovery of this species. To that end, we encourage you and your government to support the development and implementation of a recovery plan for the vaquita that addresses the biological needs of the species as well as the social and economic needs of the residents and communities of Baja California. The Society for Marine Mammalogy is willing to assist in any way it can in your government's actions to prevent the extinction of the vaquita.
Sincerely,
Daniel K. Odell, Ph.D.
President
Cc:
Sr. Javier Uzabiaga Arroyo
Secretario
Secretaria de Agricultura, Ganaderia, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentacion
Insurgentes Sur 478
CP 06760
Mexico, D.F.
Mexico
Dr. Victor Lichtinger
Secretario
Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales
Lateral del Anillo Perfiferico Sur # 4209 6th Piso
Colonia Jardines de la Montana
Delegacion Tlalpan, C.P.14210
Mexico, D.F.
Mexico
Dr. Antonio Diaz de Leon
Presidente del Instituto Nacional de la Pesca
Pitagoras No. 1320, 8th Piso
Col. Sta. Cruz Atoyac 03310
Mexico, D.F.
Mexico |
Conservation 
