7 December 2011 - United Nations Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals’ efforts of protecting the decreasing population of giant manta ray is now advancing. This sea creature is considered a peaceful cousin of the sharks. There are 116 countries that are members of the convention and now have an obligation to provide protection for the manta rays. The overfishing of the said sea species has brought it to its critical level of possible extinction if not given any importance and action.
Under the Appendix I and II in the CMS also known as the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the listing for manta rays’ protection was done last November 25, 2011.
Manta Ray’s migration to unprotected waters despite their protection in several countries around the globe, they are still subjected to overfishing. On the other hand, CMS listings will ignite coordinated conservation efforts with its members to monitor and protect the sea species together with its habitat.
According to Sonja Fordham, Shark Advocates International’s President, the demands have grown since year 2000. The gill arch of manta rays that serves as filters through which they consume plankton has high value for the Chinese traditional medicines. This also goes out to their close cousins the mobula rays. According to the IUCN also known as the International Union for Conservation of Nature, targeted manta ray fisheries are now operating in critical habitats and popular aggregation sites in the Philippines, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, India, Tanzania, Brazil and Indonesia.
Executive Director of WildAid, Peter Knights said “CMS listing is a critical step needed to end the exploitation of the mantas and mobulas by harnessing the cooperation and concerted efforts f member states, the CMS listing sets the stage for cohesive monitoring and regulation of the gill raker trade.”
The listing of the said convention on Migratory Species was first proposed by the government of Ecuador with a supporting array of local and international conservation agencies. Not one from the 80 governments represented at the convention have disagree when the proposal has reached the floor. The United States is not a member of the convention. However, it has expressed support of the manta ray listing.
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