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The exploitation of the Manta Ray

What is a Manta Ray? Click on this link R. Aidan Martin and the ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research and spend 15 minutes to read about Manta Rays. Facinating creatures. You may spend 15 more minutes to read on the Biology of the Manta Ray

These gentle giants are passive and impose no threat to humans. What I am about to describe is occuring in countries all around the globe, Manta Rays are being slaughtered in unlimited numbers. What is being spread is just like the exploitation of Shark Finning, Manta Rays are being killed off for the same reasons, their gills for soup and traditional medicines to the asian continents.

We do know that the slow maturation and reproductive cycles are cause for concern. The reproductive rate of the Manta Ray is slow. With the slughtering occuring at rates faster than the Manta can reproduce, should be cause for alarm and concern. Perhaps the growing demand for the rays may be due to the decrease in shark population.

Many areas around the world are now reporting the number of manta sighting have dropped and in some regions sightings are now rare, like in the Phillippines.

What are we as humans doing to our planet? We have one one planet, one world, one world ocean and we must take care of it. Looking at it as an unlimited resource simply because of its size or because we can’t see whats going on beneath the waves is not reason for ignorance and is not the way to preserve the balance which our ocean has to provide. We must have due diligence and defend our friends in the ocean, from us.

Articles:

Slaughtered for the market place: Huge rise in ray hunting threatens ocean’s ‘gentle giants’

Lars

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Filed under: Featured, Fish, Manta Rays, Reference, Report, Sharks

2 Responses to "The exploitation of the Manta Ray"

  1. MantaWatch says:

    Hi Lars, manta rays are indeed under threat. But so also are the livelihoods and traditions of people who have depended on them for centuries.

    Manta ray fisheries are big business in Indonesia, but here—in the worlds largest exporter of sharks and rays—there is no regulation. No catch quotas, no size limits, no protected breading grounds.

    MantaWatch is striving for better regulation of manta fisheries in Indonesia, but we need help to Save Manta Rays in Indonesia http://mantawatch.com/stop

    1. admin says:

      Thank you for the update.
      Please keep us posted on any events you feel needs to be mentioned.

      Lar

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