Sea of Shadows

It is a last-minute rescue mission in the Gulf of California: the swim bladder of the rare totoaba fish promising magical healing powers, the illegal trade is thriving on the so-called “cocaine of the sea”. Even the endangered vaquita whales are affected by the fishing nets in which, once caught, they are doomed to death. Mexican cartels are just as involved in the dirty multi-million-dollar business as the Chinese mafia. A group of people have set themselves the goal of stopping this fatal exploitation of the sea – even under life threatening conditions. Filmmaker Richard Ladkani uses breathtakingly beautiful images to illuminate the underwater realm and focus on a courageous international rescue effort in which environmental activists, scientists, investigative journalists and undercover agents have declared war on the criminal network.