Yarrr! They be claimin' that a scallywag Mexican crew be unlawfully peddlin' a brew from a rare fishy!
2023-12-07
Arrr! Avast ye, scallywags! A Mexican scurvy dog be accused o' breakin' international law by peddlin' a health potion brewed from the collagen o' the totoaba fish! Blimey, they be messin' with the fishes and causin' quite a ruckus on the high seas!
A Mexico-based startup called The Blue Formula has been accused by environmental watchdogs of violating international trade law by selling a health supplement made from endangered totoaba fish to several countries, including the U.S. and China. There are concerns that the fish being sold by the company may be illegally caught in the wild. Under international trade agreements, any export for sale of totoaba fish is illegal unless bred in captivity with a permit. The environmental watchdog group Cetacean Action Treasury first cited the company in November, and a coalition of environmental charities has now filed a complaint to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).The Blue Formula claims to operate sustainably by sourcing fish from a farm called Cygnus Ocean, which has a permit to breed totoaba. However, environmental groups have found that Cygnus Ocean does not have a permit for the commercial export of their farmed fish. The company's website states that a portion of their profits is used to release some farmed fish back into the wild. However, advocates like Alejandro Olivera from the Center for Biological Diversity's Mexico representative are concerned that the company and the farm could be used as a front for illegal activities.
Gillnet fishing for wild totoaba is illegal and poses a threat to the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. The demand for totoaba bladders in China, where they are sold as a delicacy at high prices, drives the illegal gillnetting. The Blue Formula's supplement, made from totoaba collagen, costs just under $100 for 200 grams. In recent months, significant seizures of totoaba bladders have been made in the U.S. and Hong Kong, highlighting the scale of the illegal trade.
Overall, The Blue Formula is facing allegations of violating trade laws and contributing to the illegal trade of endangered totoaba fish. Environmental groups are calling for stricter enforcement of regulations and greater transparency in the sourcing and traceability of totoaba products.