Ecology and Conservation of Reef Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi) Pupping and Nursery Grounds in Maldives.

Reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) are slow-growing cartilaginous fish, whose late maturity and low fecundity make them highly vulnerable to over-exploitation. Although M. alfredi is not eaten for food, they are fished for use in Asian medicine and throughout their range they are highly susceptible to becoming bycatch. Within Maldives, where M. Alfredi has been protected from fishing since 2014, the population level is at a high level. By contrast in nearby In Sri Lanka the species has been almost fished to extinction. This project aims to expand research on the juvenile life stage of M. alfredi, by identifying pupping and nursery areas used within Maldives, with a view to making a case for their protection.