Pilot Study on Giant Manta Ray Populations Launched

Bonn, 19 October 2015 - CMS is launching a pilot study on the connectivity between Giant Manta Ray populations in the Galapagos and coastal Ecuador and Peru in cooperation with the Manta Trust and with financial support from the Government of Monaco.

Giant Manta Ray populations are under increasing, unsustainable pressure from fisheries in response to growing demand for their dried gill plates. There is more and more evidence suggesting that manta populations in regions with targeted fisheries are declining rapidly.

The spatial ecology and connectivity of Giant Manta Ray populations is poorly understood, making it challenging to manage the species effectively.

The aim of this project is to determine the degree of connectivity between the populations of Giant Manta Rays in the Galapagos Islands and coastal Ecuador and Peru, and the implications for the management of this vulnerable species.  

For more information about this project, please see:
http://www.cms.int/sharks/en/project/connectivity-between-populations-giant-manta-ray-galapagos-islands-and-coastal-ecuador-and