The Manta Trust has launched a new campaign to support increased levels of protection for mobulid rays at the next CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to be held this year in Uzbekistan from 24 November.
CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – is an international agreement to protect endangered species by enforcing robust controls – or total prohibition – of their sale on the international markets.
Such protections include the take and sale of shark fins, and manta ray gill-rakers – the tissue between a manta’s gills which is sought after as a source of ‘traditional’ medicine on the Chinese markets.
Manta rays and other mobulid species such as devil rays are currently listed on CITES Appendix II – which demands strict controls over the trade in products from animals that are classed as vulnerable to extinction.
The Manta Trust’s campaign is seeking support for the nine species of mobulid ray to be elevated to CITES Appendix I, which would prohibit all international trade in products derived from the rays, essentially making them almost worthless to fishers.
Manta ray protections in Indonesia have recently been cited as an example of how strictly enforced regulations can lead to population recovery.
In order to support the campaign, the Manta Trust is asking manta lovers to:
- Grab a #SaveTheMantas T-shirt from the online store (£25)
- Snap a photo of yourself wearing the t-shirt
- Upload it to the Manta Trust campaign page, and post it on your socials with the hashtag #SaveTheMantas
Images submitted will be used to form a giant mural to be shown at CITES, in what the Manta Trust hopes will be a powerful message for delegates to agree to the Appendix I listing.
Find out more on the #SaveTheManta’s campaign pages, and follow the Manta Trust on Instagram @mantatrust
