Mantas
reproduce extremely slowly and cannot sustain even modest fishing levels.
Female manta rays take 8-10 years to sexually mature and may give birth to only
one pup every two to five years.
Manta rays are
worth vastly more alive than dead
February 2013.
Delegates to the CITES conference in Bangkok
have the opportunity to stem the trade in manta ray parts, specifically
gill-rakers, and protect vulnerable manta populations. Charismatic manta rays
can generate tens of millions of dollars annually through ecotourism if the
destructive trade in their gill-rakers is stemmed say proponents.
Very low
breeding rates
Manta gill-rakers (plates used to strain plankton) are made of cartilage and
are used as a purported health tonic in China. Hunting is driven by the
demand for gill-rakers, which can fetch up to $500 per kilo, whilst the meat is
of very low value. Mantas reproduce extremely slowly and cannot sustain even
modest fishing levels. Female manta rays take 8-10 years to sexually mature and
may give birth to only one pup every two to five years.
80+% declines
in some populations
Targeted manta populations have declined by an estimated 56% to 86% in recent
years. The trade in manta gills amount to only about $5 million annually at
retail and is concentrated in a single city in China,
Guangzhou. Most
of the financial benefit goes to the distribution channel rather than
fishermen. In contrast, coastal communities can benefit greatly from global
tourism for manta ray watching, which attracts an estimated at over US$140
million annually.
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