San Francisco, California - Mexico's efforts to protect the critically endangered vaquita marina porpoise have been honored by the Society for Marine Mammalogy, the world's largest society for the study of marine mammals.

The Conservation Merit Prize, awarded Monday in San Francisco during the group's 21st biennial conference, recognizes the efforts of scientists, government officials, environmentalists and fishermen in Mexico to conserve the vaquita, a small porpoise that is endemic to the upper Gulf of California.

Scientists estimate that its population has fallen below 100, as many vaquitas have become ensnared in gill nets used by fishermen in the region and drowned. The problem has been compounded in recent years by the illegal fishing with gill nets of another protected species, the totoaba fish, whose swim bladders are in high demand in China.

President Enrique Peña Nieto traveled to the Baja California community of San Felipe in April to announce a two-year ban on gill net fishing in the vaquita's habitat. During the ban, the Mexican government has enacted a compensation program intended for fishermen and others affected by the measure, mostly residents of San Felipe and Golfo de Santa Clara in Sonora. In addition, the Mexican navy has stepped up its presence in the area to enforce the ban.

To update the vaquita population estimate, Mexico's federal government also commissioned a two-month scientific survey, the results of which are expected next year.

Gill-netting around the world ensnares hundreds of thousands of cetaceans each year, and threaten several species of dolphins and porpoises with extinction, according to the society. "But there is one bright spot in the Gulf of California," a society statement said.

According to a statement, Mexico's president and environmental secretary "under very adverse economic and political circumstances have pushed forward and coordinated the implementation of the ban."

The statement said that "saving vaquitas will require a permanent ban" on gill net fishing in the region. Also receiving recognition was the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico, which has long championed vaquita conservation.