The Manta Trust

Oceanic manta rays are endangered, with reports of up to 1,000 animals landed a year in Sri Lankan fisheries. Only 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) away, the world’s third largest oceanic manta ray population aggregates seasonally at Fuvahmulah in the Maldives. Simon wants to understand the degree of connectivity between oceanic mantas in the Maldives and those found in Sri Lankan fisheries surveys. He is documenting the population in the Maldives through photo identification and taking tissue biopsies annually to compare with those from Sri Lanka. By comparing chemical signals in the tissues, he will assess whether the rays are feeding in overlapping ranges.

With no real information about whether or how mobulid rays survive after being released from purse-seine fishing nets in the Eastern Pacific, Josh is training fishery observers to assess the impact of this fishery on these by-catch species and to create best-practice release guidelines to improve the survival rate of the rays.

Bahia de Banderas, a large bay on Mexico’s pacific coast attracts large numbers of oceanic mantas. Josh is working with local undergraduate students to learn about the rays. The students gain valuable research experience and career support and the programme also runs outreach with local schools.

In September 2016 Isabel and the Manta Trust will be heading to CITES. This critical meeting is held only every four years and will decide which new species are listed under global trade restrictions.

Genetics are a powerful tool in the conservation arsenal. The Manta Trust is collecting samples from vulnerable manta rays all over the globe, and genetic analyses will help us to correctly identify species and discover which populations are most in trouble.

Mobulid rays are in trouble all over the world, especially in Asia where there is demand for their gill rakers. Every day, Mohanraj visits fish markets to find out what is happening to these graceful animals in India.

All over the world, manta and mobula rays are under pressure from fishing. Guy and the Manta Trust are working with other NGOs and using international legislation and public awareness to keep these majestic animals in our oceans.

There is a very lucky population of manta rays that lives at D’Arros Island in the Seychelles. These mantas not only live in a relatively pristine habitat, but are also safe from fishing. This gives researchers a unique opportunity to learn about how these intriguing animals live when they are free from human influence.

We know very little about manta and mobula rays in the Philippines. Shannon is working with fishers, divers, researchers and ordinary Filipinos to create a knowledge base that will help us to protect these vulnerable animals.

Vulnerable mobulids include two manta and nine mobula species. Because they all look alike, it is difficult to identify different species. Daniel is compiling the world’s first mobulid ID guidebook and genetic identification kit.

Genetics are a powerful tool in the conservation arsenal. The Manta Trust is collecting samples from vulnerable manta rays all over the globe, and genetic analyses will help us to correctly identify species and discover which populations are most in trouble.

Despite being a top manta tourism destination, Indonesia was one of the largest manta fishing nations. Sarah has been there since 2010 learning about these vulnerable rays and raising awareness about their plight.

Guy has found paradise: the world’s largest known population of manta rays. He has been studying Maldivian mantas since 2005, providing critical insights on what he believes to be the most intelligent fish in the sea.