The crew of Sea Shepherd's research vessel R/V Martin Sheen spotted last week a humpback whale entangled in a gillnet in the Vaquita Refuge in the Gulf of California in Baja California, Mexico. While Captain Oona Layolle, campaign leader and captain of the M/V Farley Mowat, notified the Mexican Navy and the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the crew began the rescue operation. The whale was estimated to be 35 feet long and crews from both vessels worked to free the whale by cutting the gillnet off the whale's head and torso.
This is not the first humpback whale entangled in an illegal gillnet found by Sea Shepherd crew. On Christmas Eve, the crew of the R/V Martin Sheen spotted a humpback whale weighed down by a gillnet. Upon further investigation, the crew determined that the humpback whale was a calf and was already dead. Sea Shepherd then sought permission from the Mexican government to be able to begin removing gillnets. Permission was granted on Dec. 31, 2015.
Sea Shepherd's newest vessel, the M/V Farley Mowat, a retired U.S. Coast Guard interceptor ship, joined the R/V Martin Sheen, in January 2016. On its first day of Operation Milagro, the crew of the M/V Farley Mowat spotted an illegal gillnet and spent six hours removing it. The Mexican Navy were notified and seized the illegal gillnet. Since then, the crews of both vessels have developed net retrieval devices to trail behind the R/V Martin Sheen and the M/V Farley Mowat's speedboat the Wolf. The use of these devices has already resulted in removal of seven gillnets and three longlines in just the past few weeks. Three totoaba, seven rays, one whale and dozens of juvenile sharks have been saved by the recent removals of illegal fishing equipment. This total does not taken into account the countless animals who will not become trapped and die in the illegal gillnets and illegal fishing lines.
The crew of the M/V Farley Mowat was recently joined by Survivorman Les Stroud. Upon assisting in freeing the whale, he commented, “This is true conservation in action. Today, we were able to save the whale and remove another illegal gillnet. It is an honor to be a crew member with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Cutting that net and freeing the whale was a life changing experience."
In April 2015, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a two year ban on the use of gillnets in the Gulf of California. The intent was to protect the vaquita porpoise, the world's most endangered marine mammal. Vaquita are the unintended victims of gillnets used to catch the totoaba bass, another endangered species. The totoaba are targeted for their swim bladders for sale on the black markets in Asian. Vaquita are native only to the northernmost part of the Gulf of California.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Sustainability Management in Practice: Student Work Helps Establish Conservation Act in Palau
Horrible! This Guy Drags Shark From Sea Just to Pose for Photos
Solar-Powered Vacuum Could Suck Up 24,000 Tons of Ocean Plastic Every Year
Baby Dolphin Dies After Being Passed Around by Tourists Taking Selfies
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!