“Sea of Shadows” tells the story of an illegal fish trade between the Mexican cartel and Chinese mafia. The fish bladders, bought for $5,000 from local fisherman, are sold in China for over $100,000 to make an unproven medicine.
Director Richard Ladkani talks about the intensity and danger of making this film, as well as the hopeful ending.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the totoaba bladder is believed to cure arthritis. As with much of TCM, the claim is unproven and inevitably creates more harm than good. An entire ecosystem is on the verge of collapse thanks to the illegal bladder trade between the Mexican cartel and Chinese businessmen.
While the totoaba are rapidly declining in numberstheir only home is in the Sea of Cortez, the body of water that separates Baja California with mainland Mexicothe illegal fishing nets local fishermen use are killing everything else: turtles, sharks, and the focus of “Sea of Shadows,” the vaquita. There are only believed to be 15 or so of these small porpoises left in existence.