At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Increasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The totoaba is a large fish found only in the Gulf of California, hunted illegally for its valuable swim bladder. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
The gillnets set for totoaba also drown the critically endangered vaquita.
Range & habitat
Endemic to the northern Gulf of California, Mexico.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Illegal fishing for its swim bladder
- Bycatch
- Habitat change
Why it matters
A large endemic fish whose illegal trade drives the vaquita toward extinction, the totoaba sits at the centre of one of the world's most urgent marine conservation crises.
Endemic to the Gulf of California; its swim-bladder trade also drives vaquita bycatch.
Sources
Sources for Totoaba
- IUCN Red List — look up Totoaba (authoritative status)
- NOAA Fisheries
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the totoaba linked to the vaquita?
Illegal gillnets set to catch totoaba for their high-value swim bladders also entangle and drown the vaquita, making the totoaba trade the main driver of the vaquita's collapse.
Why is the totoaba threatened?
Published assessments cite illegal fishing for its swim bladder, bycatch, and habitat change in the Gulf of California. See the IUCN Red List.
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