The conservation status of small cetaceans has significantly worsened since the 1980s, when the baiji was the only species of small cetacean listed as Endangered by IUCN. Now the baiji is almost certainly extinct and 13 other species, subspecies, or populations (hereafter units-to-conserve or units) of small cetaceans are listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Bycatch is the main threat to 11 of the CR units. Entanglement in gillnets contributed to the extinction of the baiji and is responsible for the imminent extinction of the vaquita. Unfortunately, there is no simple technical solution to the problem of bycatch of small cetaceans. If the 8 CR units with 100 or fewer remaining individuals are to be saved, conservation zones must be established where gillnets are eliminated and bans on their use are strictly enforced. Recent experience with the vaquita in Mexico demonstrates that enforcement of such conservation zones can be very difficult. Ineffective enforcement is also a problem for at least 4 of the other CR units. Time is very short and, unless major efforts are made now to address the bycatch problem, the prospects for CR small cetaceans and other at-risk aquatic megafauna are grim. The ultimate long-term solution to the bycatch problem is the development of efficient, inexpensive, alternative fishing gear that can replace gillnets without jeopardizing the livelihoods of fishermen. Good fishery governance and the direct involvement of fishing communities are also essential to the successful conservation of most threatened populations of small cetaceans.

中文翻译：

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刺网渔业中的副渔获物威胁着极度濒危的小型鲸类动物和许多其他动物

自 1980 年代以来，小鲸类的保护状况显着恶化，当时白鱀豚是唯一被世界自然保护联盟列为濒危物种的小鲸类。现在，白鱀豚几乎可以肯定已经灭绝，世界自然保护联盟红色名录中将其他 13 种小型鲸类物种、亚种或种群（以下简称为保护单位或单位）列为极危 (CR)。兼捕是 11 个 CR 单位的主要威胁。刺网的纠缠导致了白鱀豚的灭绝，也是小头鼠海豚即将灭绝的原因。不幸的是，小型鲸类的兼捕问题没有简单的技术解决方案。如果要拯救剩余个体不超过 100 的 8 个 CR 单元，则必须建立保护区，消除刺网并严格禁止使用。最近在墨西哥处理小头鼠海豚的经验表明，此类保护区的执法可能非常困难。执法不力也是至少 4 个其他 CR 单位的问题。时间很短，除非现在做出重大努力来解决兼捕问题，否则 CR 小型鲸类和其他濒危水生巨型动物的前景是严峻的。兼捕问题的最终长期解决方案是开发高效、廉价、替代的渔具，可以在不危及渔民生计的情况下取代刺网。良好的渔业治理和渔业社区的直接参与对于成功保护最受威胁的小型鲸类种群也至关重要。