Whale Sharks in September?

[AZTinman]

Hi Brad - this is one place where the whale sharks congregate in summer in sea of Cortez.

Wayyyyy off the beaten path in a hidden bay in the northern sea of cortez up to 220 whale sharks gather every summer.

The whale sharks are amazing and we love nothing better than getting in the water with them. The nearby scuba diving is great. And local colonies of up to 1000 sea lions are the icing on this particular cake. These trips kick-off in San Diego at our dive center by Nautilus. Disembarkation will be in Cabo San Lucas for the exciting start of our Cabo Pulmo season!

Trip Boards at 8:00 am on Aug 31, 2019 and Disembarks at 8:30 am on Sep 12, 2019

Hmmmm... maybe it's just me, but I'm having a difficult time understanding what you are talking about in your post. It kinda sounds like you're talking about Bahia de Los Angeles, but you never mentioned the place you're talking about by name in your post.

If you are talking about Bahia de Los Angeles, you are correct about it being off the "beaten path"; however, it's worth noting that the area hasn't seen a congregation of 220 whale sharks for a long time. During recent years, it's more likely to see fewer than ten per day in the bay.

It's also worth noting that a live aboard operator has been engaged in an effort to monopolize whale shark permits. Never mind the Bahia de Los Angeles locals who pressed the Mexican government to make the area a national park some years ago and now rely on ecotourism rather than commercial fishing for a living.

I also find your comment about "local colonies of up to 1000 sea lions" interesting. Again, if your post is referring to the Midriff Islands, local colonies of up to 1000 sea lions is a bit of a stretch unless you're simply referring to the rookeries at San Esteban and San Pedro Martir. Here are some sea lion population numbers for the seven rookeries in the Midriff Islands:

848....................Isla Granito
634....................Los Cantiles
580....................Los Machos
449....................El Partido
375....................Rasito
5,666.................San Esteban
1,171.................San Pedro Martir (southern most Midriff Island rookery)

During the course of collecting sea lion census date, researchers were concerned with declines in populations. The San Esteban rookery has been the only rookery in the Midriff Islands to show increasing numbers. A factor researchers did not consider was the impact poaching could have on sea lion populations. Last year, we encountered a grim reminder of poaching impacts when we found an entire group of 10-20 bachelor bulls had been killed by poachers. A sea lion penis bone is worth around $200.00 on the Asian traditional medicine market.

-AZTinman

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Thank you AZ - that's why this forum can be so valuable as it gives us access to vital information that we may not otherwise have access to. Indeed I am referring to the Bahia de Los Angeles for the whale sharks and the information I have is from a boat operation that has recently spent time there and will be operating this summer. If the information on numbers is inaccurate or the trips do not live up to expectations we shall soon know. Thank you again for your input and I hope we shall continue to get more input and comment on this. I was in the Sea of Cortez many years ago and it was very alive, in interceding year it got heavily fished and many of the rich marine life had disappeared, but what I am hearing in recent times that it is once again looking better. Hopefully a bright light for them on the horizon.

 

[chillyinCanada]

(Snip snip)
It's also worth noting that a live aboard operator has been engaged in an effort to monopolize whale shark permits. Never mind the Bahia de Los Angeles locals who pressed the Mexican government to make the area a national park some years ago and now rely on ecotourism rather than commercial fishing for a living.

(Snip)
A factor researchers did not consider was the impact poaching could have on sea lion populations. Last year, we encountered a grim reminder of poaching impacts when we found an entire group of 10-20 bachelor bulls had been killed by poachers. A sea lion penis bone is worth around $200.00 on the Asian traditional medicine market.

-AZTinman

Thanks, for the info.
So frustrating

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

There will be ups and downs but as long as we keep communicating then I have a sense that we will get there. Will let you know anything more I hear.

 

[AZTinman]

Thank you AZ - that's why this forum can be so valuable as it gives us access to vital information that we may not otherwise have access to. Indeed I am referring to the Bahia de Los Angeles for the whale sharks and the information I have is from a boat operation that has recently spent time there and will be operating this summer. If the information on numbers is inaccurate or the trips do not live up to expectations we shall soon know. Thank you again for your input and I hope we shall continue to get more input and comment on this. I was in the Sea of Cortez many years ago and it was very alive, in interceding year it got heavily fished and many of the rich marine life had disappeared, but what I am hearing in recent times that it is once again looking better. Hopefully a bright light for them on the horizon.

The only real hope for a resurgence of the rich marine life in the Sea of Cortez that Jacques Cousteau noted in his comment about it being the "aquarium of the world" is to support the efforts locals who are engaged in shifting from commercial fishing to ecotourism-based economies. This is a tough proposition for a multitude of reasons.

It certainly doesn't help when a live aboard operation attempts to monopolize whale shark permits and prevent local operators from deriving income from clients snorkeling with whale sharks. When Bahia de Los Angeles residents successfully petitioned the Mexican government for biological reserve designation, they wanted to preserve opportunities for small businesses to be successful. The government offered money for resort development in the community, but the locals rejected the offer. The locals still believe they made the right decision, but they need the support of the diving community to make it work. I noticed a sign outside the Village of Bahia de Los Angeles last year. It read: Conservation Is Our Salvation.

-AZTinman