MANTAS RAY OF HOPE: THE MANTAS OF HOPE

Diving with the mantas remains, in a diving life, a privileged moment. But everywhere in the world, giants, as in the Maldives, are in danger. Manta Ray of Hope Project, an international movement, is stepping up actions to try to turn the tide. And make sure that manta spots do not turn into memories.

A WORLD PROGRAM OF STUDY AND SAFEGUARD

The Manta Ray of Hope project is ambitious: mobilize the world's leading researchers, professionals on the ground, fight against overfishing, trade, try to harmonize protection measures, and favor the development of eco-tourism, to try to save the mantas and mobulas that populate the waters of the whole world. The message is clear: we must act, and if nothing is done the time of the giants is counted.

THEIR BRANCHIES REPLACE THE SHARK FINS

For centuries, in many places, some mantas were caught, and their meat consumed. But the levy was minimal, and did not jeopardize the balance of different species. But for ten years, the situation has changed: in the wake of shark fin fishing, and taking advantage of the networks set up in Asian countries, the sale of gills dried mantas has pushed fishermen to multiply catches: gills sold in some Chinese markets at 500 dollars per kilo, and endowed in the minds of buyers with various medicinal properties. And the phenomenon has worsened with the decrease of shark populations likely to supply the market ...

PENALIZED BY SLOW REPRODUCTION

The reproduction of mantas is extremely slow and limited: sexual maturity is not reached for about ten years, and they are usually only small every two to three years. By comparison, the Great White Shark, considered a particularly vulnerable species, can produce at once as many juveniles as a mantas ray throughout its life. It is thus easier to understand how the slightest increase in fishing pressure can have dramatic consequences and lead to rapid destruction of populations.

HARMONIZE LEGISLATION

In some regions, even if the data are often patchy, the populations appear stable. But this comforting reality concerns specific tourist sites, or marine reserves in which mantas are effectively protected. Some countries have adopted laws which formally prohibit the landing, and therefore de facto fishing, of mantas and mobulas. The United Nations Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) recently classified the giant manta ray (M. birostris) as a species of international concern, but there is currently no real international protection for all species. mantas and mobulas. They are not included in the texts of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

SETTING MORATORIES

While waiting for the legal framework to evolve, and to the extent that we do not have all the necessary figures on the exact state of the populations, the members of the program call for the immediate establishment of moratoriums: they would allow some sort of freeze the situation. These moratoriums concern fishing on the one hand, but on the other, an indispensable measure, would oblige the importing countries and in particular China to block the entries and to prohibit their sale. This is the only way it seems to stem the dramatic increase in the number of catches.

DEVELOP ECO TOURISM

Conversely, it is ecotourism that could, as for many species, save mantas and mobulas. Global gill trade is currently estimated at some 11 million per year. And estimates made by the Manta Ray of Hope Project, based on a few existing sites around the world, and extrapolating to other areas of concentration of mantas still little or not exploited, speak of more than 100 million dollars generated by tourism linked to the presence of rays. The scale should therefore logically lean towards eco - tourism, even though it is well known that reality does not fit so easily with the medium - term economic reality.

WHERE TO SEE?

While the distribution of mantas is global, there are, of course, regions that are more conducive to meeting them. We can mention Mozambique between October and May, Djibouti and Madagascar in April and May, the Maldives from June to October and from January to March, South Africa from June to September, Madagascar between October and November, Mexico from November to May, Polynesia and especially the Tuamotu from July to October, and finally Bali and Thailand all year long, among the most famous classical destinations.

More: www.mantarayofhope.com

Text: Isabelle Croizeau