Submitted by
cisneros
on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 04:33
General Information
Resolution
46434
IUCN Constituent
Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Secretariat
Period covered
Geographic scope
Meso and South America
Country/Territory
Mexico
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales ( Mexico )
IUCN Commissions
F717E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
IUCN Secretariat
Yes
Other non-IUCN related organisations
SADER-Mexico / WHC-UNESCO / CIRVA /CITES
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Scientific/technical activities
Description and results/achievements of activities:
-Participation of the Mexican Government to the 43th UNESCO-World Heritage Committee Meeting (Baku, Azerbaijan, 30 June–10 July, 2019) (For details, see the meeting report below)
Recalling decision 42 COM 7B.86, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018), taking note that i) despite the significant efforts, illegal fishing of totoaba has continued and even escalated in the Upper Gulf of California resulting in a threat of imminent extinction of the vaquita population; ii) the study requested by the CITES Standing Committee on the current status of totoaba and vaquita, and on the illegal trade and markets, has not been undertaken yet; and taking into account the recommendations of the Comité Internacional para la Recuperación de la Vaquita (CIRVA), the WHC adopted the new decision 43 COM 7B.26 in which decides to inscribe the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) on the List of World Heritage in Danger and request the State Party to develop, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, a set of corrective measures, a timeframe for their implementation and a proposal for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), for examination by the Committee at its 44th session in 2020.
Recalling decision 42 COM 7B.86, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018), taking note that i) despite the significant efforts, illegal fishing of totoaba has continued and even escalated in the Upper Gulf of California resulting in a threat of imminent extinction of the vaquita population; ii) the study requested by the CITES Standing Committee on the current status of totoaba and vaquita, and on the illegal trade and markets, has not been undertaken yet; and taking into account the recommendations of the Comité Internacional para la Recuperación de la Vaquita (CIRVA), the WHC adopted the new decision 43 COM 7B.26 in which decides to inscribe the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) on the List of World Heritage in Danger and request the State Party to develop, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, a set of corrective measures, a timeframe for their implementation and a proposal for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), for examination by the Committee at its 44th session in 2020.
Status
On-going
Describe any challenges encountered in implementing this Resolution and the measures taken
In addition to the recommendations of the 2018 UNESCO-IUCN mission, urging the Mexican government: i) to follow up on WHC request to ensure that the necessary resources and inter-institutional support be available to start without further delay the transition to fishing gear that does not endanger vaquita and other non-target marine mammals, turtles and sharks, with full engagement of local commu
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken
During 2019, despite ongoing surveillance efforts undertaken in the Upper Gulf of California, as well as measures to prevent illegal international trafficking of totoaba products, no significant results obtained to prevent the imminent extinction of the vaquita population.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Scientific/technical activities
Description
The Government of Mexico will submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of vaquita, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.
The IUCN Secretariat, as requested and according to the resources available, will provide technical support to future UNESCO-WHC missions and to the ongoing CITES study on the current status of totoaba and vaquita.
The IUCN Secretariat, as requested and according to the resources available, will provide technical support to future UNESCO-WHC missions and to the ongoing CITES study on the current status of totoaba and vaquita.
III. Additional Information
Report status
Published
Constituent type
IUCN Secretariat