February 2014: The giant and reef manta rays have been declared a protected species under Indonesian law by the country’s Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister.
This new law represents a major advancement in efforts to conserve manta rays, which in 2013 were added to the list of species regulated under of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
As of September 2014, all 178 CITES member countries will need to control trade and implement other CITES trade rules for these and several heavily traded shark species so as to ensure that international trade is not a threat to their survival.
“By fully protecting these fishes, the Government of Indonesia has demonstrated its commitment to these new CITES rules while offering real hope for these species’ future in Indonesia and beyond.” said Dr. Stuart Campbell, Director of WCS’s Indonesian Marine Conservation and Fisheries Program.
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