Raúl López's Story
The fishermen of Laguna San Ignacio used to bang shells against their boats to chase away the whales. After all, they were going after the same food. Today, however, fishermen blow bubbles to bring the whales closer -- because when the gray whales come to these calm waters filled with fish, clams and scallops to breed and raise their young, visitors from around the world flock here for the rare chance to see them up close. For Raúl and his community, the whales are no longer competition but a valuable asset.
But industries and big business have also set their sights on the lagoon, proposing factories, high-rise condominiums and oil- and gas-drilling operations that would pollute the waters and threaten the fish and shellfish that local people and the whales depend on. All around the lagoon, pressure is mounting as project after project is proposed. "It's like watching a fire approach your house. 'Water! Water! Water!'" Raúl says. "That’s how we feel."
Saving the Whales
In coastal areas around the world, industrialization and rapid development threaten the water, including precious whale habitat, with pollution. NRDC is working with Raúl and other residents of Laguna San Ignacio to conserve all the lands surrounding the lagoon and protect them from industrialization. Whales are also under siege from military sonar training exercises that blast the world's ocean with intense sound, causing mass strandings of whales and other marine mammals. NRDC is suing the U.S. Navy to use common-sense precautions during sonar training exercises so whales don't have to die for practice.
Resources for Whale-watchers:
State of our Seas: Sonar Victory Helps Protect Whales
Flickr: Whale-watching pictures
Video: Lethal Sound
More Ocean Issues and Solutions
