Publication: National Public Radio

UCLA Expert: Chris Kyriazis: PhD candidate, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Synopsis: In a recent article on the extinction of endangered vaquita, Kyriazis warns that while the species have the genetic potential to recover, unsustainable fishing practices, including gillnets, are likely to destroy these populations.

UCLA News: “Our results show a major impact of the gillnet mortality rates,” says Kyriazis, who developed the team’s simulations. Even with an 80% reduction in gillnet deaths, chances for the species’ survival plummet, he says.

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