Manta rays are hard to miss —big, black and stretching up to seven metres wide, but scientists are concerned about the survival of the world’s largest ray.
The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Project Manta is joining forces with Western Australia’s Murdoch University scientists to establish “Project Manta – WA”.
The Western Australian Project will be sponsored by their industry partners, Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd and the Kailis Family’s TG Holdings Pty Ltd “TG Kailis Marine Conservation Fund”, to launch the most comprehensive study of manta rays to date.
“There is a sense of urgency to increase our understanding of these completely harmless, ocean giants. Manta rays can be considered to be the “canaries in the mine” in relation to the marine environment in which they live”, said Dr. Kathy Townsend, scientist from The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Project Manta.
“Manta rays have recently been listed as vulnerable to extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species. This has been caused by the unsustainable, unregulated fisheries in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mexico and Africa to feed the Traditional Chinese medicine market.”
“Manta rays are a big ecotourism drawcard, forming the basis of multimillion dollar tourism industries,” said Murdoch University researcher Frazer McGregor, “However, a recent unsuccessful proposal to have manta rays listed as a threatened species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), highlighted there are significant knowledge gaps about the group.”
Project Manta has established a comprehensive network of recreational divers and dive industries that provide identification photographs of manta rays along the entire east coast of Australia, while Frazer McGregor’s study has been focused around Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
Each group has independently collated a database of over 650 individual animals within their respective research areas. However, to date, they have lacked funding to collaborate directly.
“The support of Austral Fisheries and the TG Kailis Marine Conservation Fund will allow the two largest manta ray research projects in Australia to join forces, enabling one of the most comprehensive studies of the biology and ecology of manta rays in the world.” said David Carter, CEO of Austral Fisheries, “This project aims to gather the data required to allow manta rays to receive full protection in Australian waters.”
This national project is calling on local divers and snorkellers, from both sides of Australia, to become actively involved in creating an image database to identify manta rays. The aim is to extend the network across manta ray’s entire range, from Western Australia, through the Northern Territories, into Queensland and New South Wales.
“We specifically want the pictures of the underbelly of the manta ray because it can be used to identify individuals,” Dr. Townsend said, “The black and white pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.”
“We currently have gaps in our respective databases,” said Mr McGregor. “We are calling on divers from Western Australia and Northern Territories to dig through their manta ray photographs and share them with this nation wide collaborative effort to provide important information about Australia’s threatened manta ray population.”
The nation wide collaborative effort between scientists, industry and the general public project will start in July of 2013.
“We are delighted to be supporting this project because the Kailis family and Austral Fisheries have a commitment to evidenced science based management of our marine jurisdiction. By increasing our knowledge on Manta Rays scientists will be able to make better decisions for their future sustainability” David Carter said.
“By sponsoring research into this animal, we will assist not just manta rays, but add our small contribution to the overall sustainability of Australia’s oceans.”