...and then the fisheries scaled up
Previous Population and DistributionThe vaquita was possibly abundant throughout the Gulf of California in the early 20th century, until the commercial fisheries operations scaled-up and were modernized in the 1940's. Its present distribution dates back to the early 1980's.
Current Population and Distribution
The vaquita is endemic to the upper Gulf of California, Mexico, and its distribution is restricted to an area to the North of Puertecitos, near Rocas Consag Island and El Golfo de Santa Clara and around and north of Puerto Peñasco.