# Mexico vaquita marina conservation dispute > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mexico-vaquita-marina-conservation-dispute > Updated: 2026-08-26T00:08:12.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) issued a report accusing Mexico of failing to protect the vaquita marina, the world’s smallest cetacean. The species faces extreme extinction risk, with population estimates suggesting only six to eight individuals remain. The decline is primarily driven by the accidental capture of vaquitas in gillnets used for the illegal fishing of totoaba, a species whose bladder is highly valued on the Asian black market. The CEC report noted that Mexican authorities have not successfully halted these threats in the Upper Gulf of California. Following these findings, 39 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives urged the U.S. administration to initiate a dispute settlement panel under the USMCA. In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, lawmakers argued that Mexico has failed to comply with its own conservation laws and effectively implement the 2020 gillnet ban. The group is seeking trade sanctions to ensure the enforcement of environmental and fishing regulations. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-26: U.S. Democrats urge USMCA panel against Mexico over vaquita marina protection U.S. Democrats are calling for USMCA dispute panels and trade sanctions against Mexico to enforce conservation laws protecting the critically endangered vaquita marina from illegal gillnet fishing. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-democrats-urge-usmca-panel-against-mexico-over-vaquita-marina-protection ### 2026-08-25: Mexico accused of failing to protect endangered vaquita marina The Commission for Environmental Cooperation warns that Mexico's failure to curb illegal totoaba fishing has left the vaquita marina on the brink of extinction, with only six to eight individuals remaining. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-accused-of-failing-to-protect-endangered-vaquita-marina --- Cite as: Mexico vaquita marina conservation dispute. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mexico-vaquita-marina-conservation-dispute