Increased demand for manta ray gill plates used in Chinese medicine is changing what was previously a subsistence fishery in Indonesia into an expanding commercial fishery. Due to their life history (slow growth, late sexual maturation and low fecundity) manta rays have a limited capacity to recover from overfishing, and population declines have already been observed in areas of Indonesia where fishing pressure is high. Both species of manta ray occur in Indonesia, and although commonly seen and dived with in several areas where they aggregate very little is known about their ecology, biology and movements, factors that need to be understood in order to properly assess the impact of threats and to achieve conservation goals.  

This project aims to rectify this lack of scientific data with a view to provide information so that protection for manta rays in Indonesian waters may be considered and conservation initiatives implemented effectively. To help raise awareness and collect data the project also aims to work closely with dive operators across Indonesia. Through various research techniques, including photo-Identification, tagging and fish market surveys we will create a comprehensive visual map highlighting key manta ray related data for the Indonesian region, including:

• Species distribution
• Population ecology
• Migration routes
• Manta fishing grounds and landing sites
• Current and potential manta tourism hotspots