09/06/2014
YOU DID IT!
On , we bring some exciting news!
The Manta Trust and the Save Our Seas Foundation are delighted to announce that the Maldives government have officially added ALL ray species in its waters to its national list of Protected Species! Naturally, this includes both species of manta ray!
Rays and sharks are an incredibly threatened group of animals. Manta rays are particularly vulnerable due to global fisheries that target them for their gill plates. The new legislation makes it illegal to capture, keep or harm any type of ray in the Maldives. Whilst the Maldives does not have a targetted manta fishery, this new legislation is important in preventing one from developing in the future. Furthermore, it will help minimise some of the negative impacts imposed by the ever-booming ray tourism industry.
Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/1kQzfJF
We'd like to thank the Maldivian government for their foresight in protecting their valuable ray populations. We'd also like to THANK YOU, the public, for signing & sharing our petition. It was instrumental in highlighting both the need and the global desire to safeguard rays in the Maldives.
Please, SIGN & SHARE the news!
Indonesian Manta Project, WildAid, SHARK SAVERS, Shark Defenders, Large Marine Vertebrate Project, Philippines, Marine Megafauna Foundation, Shawn Heinrichs, Hannah Mermaid, Riyanni Djangkaru, Mancino Roberta, PROJECT MANTA-The manta rays of eastern Australia, Micronesian Manta Project, Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, Big Fish Network
