TOTOABA STORY - APRIL 2006

By Katherine Hammontré

I would like to make it very clear that fishing for Totoaba is absolutely forbidden and there are stiff penalties if you are caught. Contrary to what you might read on other web sites, the only people authorized to fish this endangered species are the Unidad de Biotecnología en Piscicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, (Biotechnology in Fish Studies Unit at the Marine Science School) UABC's Campus in Ensenada and only for scientific purposes. The UABC staff are as follows: Gerardo Sandoval, Norberto Castro Castro, Ivan Monay, Conal David True and Roman Ponce. The crew of the SFS José Andrés: Captain Borego, Fily, Jesus Valdéz, Jesus, Ramon, John Chow, and Carlos. This is a story/photo chronology of the restocking trip taken in April, 2006.

My anticipation and excitement of going on the trip left me exhausted and although I would have liked to have been awake when we pulled away from the docks, I was fast asleep. I had been told to board the Jose Andrés early, however, the wind as it is in San Felipe, we had to wait until it died down before we could leave. The gentle rocking of the boat is what did it (put me to sleep). Nonetheless, when I awoke we were under way and the UABC staff and the Jose Andrés crew were busy readying the tanks for the morning when the two pangas would venture out looking for Totoabas.

Being very eager to learn all that I could about the restocking project, Conal True was an excellent professor, and answered all my mundane questions. Now, if I could just retain all that I am learning. I felt very much at home on the boat. I had taken the 6 day sport fishing trip in 2003 so I knew most of the crew and the captain is my neighbor, hence, I was not intimidated being the only woman on a fishing boat out at sea, as some women might be. The importance of the trip and to have an opportunity to witness the catching and saving of the endangered species, far outweighed any fears I may have had.

As I have stated in the prelude to this story, I was asked to go on the boat by Tony Reyes, Sr. to take photos and take photos I did. I took approximately 600, including the photos I took at the Ensenada Lab. I wish I could put all of the photos on the web with this story, but it would be impossible. When I returned from the trip, Tony Reyes asked me why I took so many photos. I replied that I wanted to document every movement in what I considered an historical event. I didn't know at the time that this group of dedicated individuals, along with the support of the government of Mexico, had been at it for more than twenty years.

I was fortunate enough to look at the early videos of the restocking project after we returned. In 1974, then Mexico President Zedillo visited the University of Baja California at Ensenada and gave his okay for a grant of 2,600,000 pesos to continue the study and breeding in captivity of the Totoaba. I don't believe that the majority of the people understand this fact. I know I wasn't aware that this saving of the endangered species had been in the works long before it was fashionable. On with the story.

The sun rose early and I heard the slow rustling of feet moving towards the showers. Down below, the kitchen became alive with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The huge white tanks were full of sea water as well as oxygen pumps to make sure the captured fish could breath. After a hearty breakfast, both pangas were loaded with a tank each, a guide and three fishermen (UABC staff and crew). Long time Charter Master John Chow was on board and ready to fish, but not for sport. This trip he was on board to help with the project. The two pangas set out and those of us left on the boat talked about the previous trip where only one Totoaba was caught and subsequently died. I chose to have a positive attitude about this trip and indicated that the "suerte de la mujer" (luck of a woman) would bring them good fortune. They thought I was joking, but I was serious.

At about 8:30 a.m. one panga returned with four Totoabas and one White Sea Bass. Conal is sure that two of the four will live, but is worried that two may die. He explained to me that if they don't have the will to live, they simply die. Because Totoabas are deep water fish, when they are brought up to the surface, the pressure causes their swim bladder to over inflate and in turn, their stomachs to come out of their mouth and Conal had to push their stomachs back down. This is very difficult because you take the risk of puncturing the lining to the stomach.

He used clear tubing to aspirate the excess air in their swim bladder and help alleviate the pressure on the Totoaba's stomach. Slowly, the Totoaba swallowed it up, right back to where it should be (in place inside the fish). Here, every one on the boat helped to keep them under water. I chose to talk to them and it was very moving in a spiritual way to touch and pet a fish that for years has been the king of the Sea of Cortez until it was fished to extinction. Conal says that the changing of the tides causes deep water fish to go deeper. If the tide is higher, it makes more pressure on the fish. For every 10 feet of water, there is 6 pounds of pressure, making it harder to decompress or deflate the fish.

At 9:03 a.m., both pangas were out again and returned by 11:49 a.m. We have 13 Totoabas which are alive. There are a few who seem distressed and depressed and some of the fish are actually swimming around and around together in the tank. I would imagine that fish make friends as humans do or possibly they were related in some way. I'm not sure if there have been studies on this, but it makes sense to me. Conal is going from tank to tank with his air hose; he's checking the amount of oxygen in the water and the crew is helping to keep the fish below the surface of the tank.

We had lunch and every one rested (except for the fish watchers) as we waited for the tides to change. Part of the problem, I believe, is Conal didn't expect the pangas to bring back so many Totoabas and it takes time to insert the needle and aspirate out the air. When one fish is sick in the tank, the other fish often become sick also, so the healthier fish were put in separate tanks. It's quite a shock to their system to be pulled out of the sea, placed in a tank on the panga, then transferred to another tank and a needle stuck into them.

We had all expected to be gone at least four days and possibly six, as the trip before indicated we wouldn't catch as many Totoabas as they did. When we were told that we had just about caught the limit on the first day and we may go back the next day, my heart sank. I thought, what kind of luck is this? I was hoping for a week on the sea. The decision was made to move further south to try and catch older, bigger Totoabas. Three years before, the Instituto de Informatica de San Felipe was invited to go on the Jose Andrés for the release of baby Totoabas and some of the fish they were catching were probably the three year olds. Conal tells me that the older Totoaba will propagate faster. Totoabas do not breed naturally while in captivity and they do not breed naturally until they are 4 or 5 years old.

It was so exciting to be a witness to all of this. Watching the pangas come in and all aboard ecstatic about their respective catches. Transferring the Totoabas from the tanks in the pangas to the tanks on the mother ship. It seemed like something out of a cartoon. The panga would come and transfer its fish and as soon as it left the other one would pull up. At the same time, it was very stressful just watching Conal move from fish to fish and tank to tank knowing that he had to do his magic with the Totoaba in order for them to live. It was time for the pangas to return to the mother ship and prepare for dinner.

While we were eating dinner, the wind blew off one of the tops to the holding tanks. They will transport these fish into a huge holding tank to take to the lab at Ensenada. They can only hold approximately 8 fish, so it will take longer (three trips). Every one is very happy and excited about today's catches. I hate to keep harping on this, but I have in my notes: (Side note - must emphasize - You can not fish for Totoaba. Not now nor in the future. This is a study of the University of Baja California at Ensenada ).

It's about 9:30 p.m. and we are looking for live bait. I went to bed at about 10:30 p.m. and the seagulls woke me up. I thought at first, my God, the seagulls are going to dive down and eat the Totoaba. I walked over to the railing and looked down at the fish. They were all circling the tanks. The pelicans are catching fish around the boat. I was worried about the Totoabas as a mother would worry about her children. It was very strange, but I felt a bonding with the captured Totoabas, especially when I held one in my hand. I found out later that the majority of the Totoabas which survived were female.

At 7:30 the next morning, both pangas were already out fishing for the older Totoabas. We were long past Punta Bufeo and the bay was absolutely breathtaking. By 7:50 a.m. one panga was back and Conal was working frantically to keep the Totoabas alive. We now have 26 Totoabas alive. It was amazing to me how involved the crew of the Jose Andrés were. Cruz Cisneros Gonzalez, Captain of the Jose Andrés, was also helping to keep the fish alive. With his many years of experience on the Sea of Cortez, I wasn't surprised that every thing went as smoothly as it did. Ramon Arturo Davis, the ships engineer, was also up from the engines helping the UABC staff keep the Totoabas alive.

The wind picked up and so moved north towards the Isla Encantada near Gonzaga Bay. Although the sun was shining, the wind was cold. At about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, the other panga returned with four small Totoabas. The wind makes it hard to fish as I'm told the schools of fish circle and hide behind rocks because if it's windy out of the water, the movement of the sea is just as strong. Every one is tired, anticipating the ride back and transferring of the Totoabas to bigger tanks and then to Ensenada where they will be given a physical examination, vaccinations and put into the large tanks they will learn to call their home.

The Totoaba that do not survive this trip will be taken back to the lab at Ensenada and turned into a flour substance and used as a protein fish meal. Luis' wife, Dr. Lus Mercedes Lopez Aucuña, has a Ph.D. in nutrition. She will work on the fish meal to eliminate all fats as they only want protein for the fish. She is also working on perfecting a diet that will maximize growth and survival under lab conditions. She is a very bright, caring woman who definitely enjoys her work.

The entire team at UABC dedicates hours and hours for this project. Professor Norberto Castro Castro has a Bachelors Degree in Oceanography. He teaches fishing skills at the Faculty of Marine Science of UABC at Ensenada. Ivan Monay Diaz has an under grad in Oceanography.

The message they want to get out to the public is the Totoaba is an endangered fish. Do your part to help them by not fishing for this species and do not eat it. Think of it as eating a baby Condor. Mexico has been trying to repopulate the Sea of Cortez with this endangered species for more than 20 years. We must all do our part to help in this endeavor.

Both pangas have been bringing back Totoabas most of the day. So far, none of the bigger ones have survived. We ate lunch together and waited to hear if we would be going back to San Felipe or stay on the Sea of Cortez and out in the open sea. The bad news is in. We must head back for San Felipe. The good news is the trip was a complete success. Everyone is very excited as we work our way back to the docks of San Felipe.

Click here for: The Trip to Ensenada
Written by: Katherine Hammontré on behalf of the Instituto de Informatica de San Felipe - www.sanfelipe.com.mx

To see photos of the February, 2007 restocking trip on the Jose Andres, click here.

For a story written by Juan Tapia of trip in November, 2005, click here.