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Chain Feeding Reef Manta Rays
FEATURES
Introducing the Manta Trust
photography GUY STEVENS
Two piggy-back feeding Chevron Reef Manta Rays
Reef Manta Ray feeding; barrel rolling
Oceanic Manta Ray at a fish market, Sri Lanka
Almost every diver is familiar with
the manta ray, and if they haven’t
seen one of these magnificent
creatures yet, it’s certainly on their
to-do list. The beauty, grace, and
curiosity of mantas makes them one
of the most engaging animals to dive
with, and their harmless demeanor
often invites a close, personal
interaction that is unlikely with other
large animals.
Mass feeding Mantas at Hanifaru Bay, Maldives
Unfortunately, like much of what
we love in the oceans, mantas are
in trouble. Over the last decade,
manta and mobula ray gill rakers
– the cartilaginous structures that
allow them to strain plankton from
the water – have been increasing in
popularity as a ‘traditional’ Chinese
remedy. While the use of dried
manta gill rakers to treat a number
of illnesses is not, in fact, part of the
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) literature,
traditional practitioners have nevertheless
been using gill rakers more and more in recent
years, much to the detriment of manta and
mobula populations around the world.
Targeted fisheries have cropped up in
developing countries around the world,
with fishing hotspots in Sri Lanka and
Indonesia. Historically, manta fisheries have
led to collapses of small, vulnerable manta
populations in countries such as Mexico, and
due to their low reproductive rates and small
population sizes, manta rays now face a very
real threat of global population crashes.
To address the growing fisheries pressures on
mantas and mobulas around the world, while
educating local communities and providing
sustainable alternatives to exploiting manta
and mobula populations, a group of scientists,
conservationists, filmmakers and photographers
has formed the Manta Trust. With the goal of
protecting manta rays, their close relatives, and
the immensely productive ecosystems which
these animals inhabit, the Manta Trust, now a UK
registered charity, is conducting crucial research
on the basic life history of mantas, such as
identifying migratory routes, feeding strategies,
and critical habitats such as breeding and
nursery grounds. Using this new information,
we’re working with local collaborators,
international conservation organisations and
governments to enact critical legislation to
protect mantas, mobulas, and diverse marine
habitats, while encouraging economical and
sustainable alternatives to manta fisheries, such
as responsible dive ecotourism.
Be sure to check back in each issue of
Divers For The Environment for updates
on the Manta Trust’s work, important new
discoveries in manta and mobula ecology,
and global conservation efforts for mantas
and their relatives. In the meantime, be sure
to visit www.mantatrust.org or http://www.
facebook.com/MantaTrust to learn more
about mantas and find out how you can help
protect them and feel free to contact us on
info@mantatrust.org if you’d like any further
information on our work.
Manta
T R U S T
48 DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, JUNE 2012
JUNE 2012, DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 49