Project Results

About This Project

My current research is focused on understanding the movement of reef manta rays around Papua New Guinea using satellite telemetry. Understanding the movement of this population can help justify the need for community-based marine protected areas and explore opportunities to promote eco-tourism. As global manta ray populations are decreasing due to expanding trade, the engagement of communities and protection of this elusive giant is crucial.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The reef manta ray is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, in part due to targeted hunting to harvest their gill plates to supply demand in southern China (where the gill plates are believed to have medicinal value). Eco-tourism has the potential to be an effective economic replacement to hunting mantas for their gills. There is an understudied population of manta rays in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. While targeted hunting of manta rays is not yet known in the waters of Papua New Guinea, it is very common in neighbouring countries such as Indonesia. As manta rays are being overfished, it is important to protect populations in areas before the gill plate trade expands and they are put at risk.

What is the significance of this project?

If we can identify manta ray hot spots, it opens up the opportunity to develop community-based marine protected areas and promote ecotourism. This research will initiate discussion about manta ray conservation and the potential for community-based marine protected areas. Protected areas will not only help protect this population of manta rays, but it will also help to protect their surrounding habitat, which is typically rocky and coral reefs that are home to a large number of species. This work will also benefit local dive operators by providing them with new locations to observe mantas. Not only will this reduce the stress on the already identified sites, it will provide more opportunities for tourists to observe mantas and to engage with the community in management practices.

What are the goals of the project?

During our trip to Papua New Guinea, we will explore new hot spots identified from satellite tags we have deployed in the past, and determine if they are associated with cleaning stations and/or feeding sites. I will also deploy more satellite tags and this will be done opportunistically throughout our research trip. I will focus on tagging manta rays around hotspots identified by past satellite tags, so we have confidence that manta rays will be present in these areas.