The MantaCam is manufactured by Ocean Presence Technologies and allows for research into manta behavior. We are seeking sponsors to help fund the deployment of underwater IP cameras at manta cleaning stations around the world. Through the assistance of Mondrano and other local divers, as many as five manta rays are cut free of monofilament fishing lines each year. Even though the area is protected, manta rays still get caught up in fishing nets. More recent research by Yotam Barr, a marine biologist from the University of Tel Aviv and ongoing work by LAMAVE (Large Marine Vertebrates NGO) suggests that mantas frequent the area all year for the purpose of getting cleaned by small fish. The Manta Bowl cleaning station is an ideal location to record sightings over a long period of time and is useful in distinguishing the resident population from the pelagic (migratory) animals. The resident manta population has been studied with 30-40 individuals identified. This area has become a very popular dive destination. Marvin Mondrano, Abel Bahillo and others recorded frequent manta sightings at the cleaning station which was named the Manta Bowl. After operating a dive shop in Donsol he later established a conservation station that would become Ticao Island Resort. This information helped him pinpoint the location of a manta cleaning station. In 2002, Rico Calleja, a local dive instructor, heard stories from local fishermen about a large number of mantas in an area off Ticao island. The poster were very effective and led directly to today’s protection of manta rays and whale sharks in many of the areas of the Philippines. Ticao Island conservation work with manta rays dates back to the early 2000's when a local group called the Blue Zoo worked with to develop posters that were displayed in the ports and fish markets to persuade fisherman to not kill the rays. You can follow his work from his website: Paul Hilton Photography Ticao Manta Conservation, Philippines Paul Hilton is a photojournalist working on manta and mobula ray research in China, He is collecting gill raker samples for DNA testing that are used in Chinese medicine. On the street in Southern China prices vary according to size and manta gills can sell for $100.00 USD per pound. The gills are used interchangeably in Chinese medicine and according to Chinese practitioners, gill rakers help to clear away heat and toxic material from the body and aid blood circulation. New demand from Asia for dried gill rakers used in traditional medicines has dramatically increased the Indonesian fisheries, threatening the local populations. In Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Japan and the Philippines mass fisheries seriously threaten manta and mobula ray populations. VIEW ISSUE #1 NOW Manta Being Hunted for their Gills From the urban mantas of Florida to the introverted whale sharks of Tanzania, MMF scientists and their wonderful collaborators have been making new discoveries across the world. In this first issue, they are highlighting a major marine protection win in Mozambique, along with the results from some of our recent research and conservation initiatives. The Marine Megafauna Foundation would like to introduce you to Ocean Giants, a brand-new FREE quarterly magazine.
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