Marine Life & Conservation
Collaborative research puts manta rays on the map in the Philippines
A new collaborative scientific study led by the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) and in cooperation with partners and the public has compiled a national population database for manta rays and has identified four hotspots for the species in the Philippines.
Sightings from dedicated in-water research efforts by LAMAVE and partners as well as citizen science contributions from dive centers, digital submissions on platforms like mantamatcher.org as well as online searches on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have enabled the creation of the database. The study reports the presence of both Reef Mantas (Mobula alfredi) and Oceanic Mantas (Mobula birostris) in the country.
A total of 2,659 manta ray sightings were analysed by the team and from those, 499 individual manta rays were identified using photo-identification methods, which use the unique spot pattern on the ventral side (belly) of the manta ray. These individuals were encountered in 22 different sites across the Philippines, 11 of which both reef manta and oceanic mantas were observed.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape identified as
hotspots Of these 22 sites, the study identified four hotspots where manta rays aggregate:
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Cagayancillo, San Jacinto in the Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape, Puerto Princesa City and TayTay in Palawan. Three of these hotspots are in the waters of Palawan. These four sites accounted for 89% of all the individual manta rays and specific behaviours were observed including cleaning, courtship and feeding.
In reference to the Tico-Burias Pass Protected Seascape Nonie P. Enolva, Senior Fishing Regulations Officer/Chief, Fisheries Resource Management Section, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Region 5 had this to say – “Ticao Pass is one of the Bicol Region’s marine key biodiversity areas known to be home of filter-feeding megafauna like whale sharks, megamouth sharks and mobulas. The area has been known to be rich in plankton and other primary producers at the trophic level. The preponderance of visits of these megafaunas is greatly attributed to how rich the Ticao Pass is in terms of the primary food source that has been provided for them. Thus, the protection of this important fishing ground would also mean the protection of the many marine species that are dependent on it. The implementation of the Fisheries Management Area 7 which covers Ticao Pass would also warrant an Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management by providing policies that include protection of important marine species.”
Oceanic mantas keep coming back to the same areas Oceanic Mantas accounted for 107 individuals in the national catalog and resights of this species gave an insight into their movements. One female manta first sighted in Daanbantayan, Cebu in 2009, became the first recorded movement of an oceanic manta between sites in the Philippines when she was resighted in San Jacinto in 2014 and then back again in Daanbantayan in 2017. Another individual made a similar journey in 2017, covering ~150 km (straight-line movement) in five days.
Reef Manta Ray, Tubbataha Reef. Credit: Ryan Murray (LAMAVE)
Other records from Daanbantayan also revealed the longest resighting interval with two individual manta rays seen again in the area after an 8-year interval. Six other individuals were sighted in the area in at least two different years suggesting that the area is important for the species as they keep coming back. Ticao, Masbate and Palawan were identified as hotspots for reef mantas As for reef mantas, 392 individuals were identified from sighting records over 16 years between 2004-2020. Over 90% of these individuals were encountered in three sites: San Jacinto (Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape), Taytay in Northern Palawan and Cagayancillo (Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park) in Palawan. In these areas 66-80% of the mantas identified were seen more than once, most often at cleaning stations – small patches of coral that house cleaning fish. The fact that two of these hotspots are within protected areas (Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Area and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park) highlights the importance of these areas for the species and why the continued efforts to conserve them are crucial.
Both species are still under threat. The study highlights key threats continuing to face these species. A quarter of the animals identified in San Jacinto and Taytay showed fishery-related injuries, in the form of damaged or missing fins or severe cuts. Damage to cleaning stations is a further concern; the cleaning sites in San Jacinto are characterised by an abundance of fishing gear entangled in the reef resulting in damage or destruction of this sensitive habitat.
Meanwhile, sightings of oceanic manta rays (M. birostris) in Daanbantayan dropped from 73 sightings between 2006-2012 to only 16 sightings between 2013-2019 despite the increased diving effort in the area. San Jacinto showed a similar trend with 15 sightings between 2013-2014 to only three between 2017-2019. This is an alarming 80% decline in sighting frequency and may be attributed to fishing activities in part of its assumed population range, such as in the Bohol Sea which saw at least 100 oceanic mantas landed per season in the Bohol Sea up until 2017. The species has a population recovery time of over 37 years so protecting the remaining individuals is fundamental if we are to help the species recover.
Conservation strategies such as marine protected areas and fishing gear regulations should be urgently adopted at these sensitive sites, especially in the identified hotspots which do not currently benefit from species-specific protection such as Taytay and Puerto Princesa City.
For more information visit: www.lamave.org
Header Image: LAMAVE research, San Jacinto, Philippines. Credit: Olivia Johnson (LAMAVE)
The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit project, has removed a verified all-time total of ten million kilograms (22 million lbs.) of trash from oceans and rivers around the world – approximately the same weight as the Eiffel Tower.
To complete its mission of ridding the oceans of plastic, The Ocean Cleanup uses a dual strategy: cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) to remove the plastic already afloat in the oceans, while stopping the flow of plastic from the world’s most polluting rivers.
Through cleaning operations in the GPGP and in rivers in eight countries, the cumulative total of trash removed has now surpassed ten million kilograms. This milestone demonstrates the acceleration of The Ocean Cleanup’s impact, while underlining the astonishing scale of the plastic pollution problem and the need for continued support and action.
While encouraging for the mission, this milestone is only a staging point: millions more tons of plastic still pollute our oceans and The Ocean Cleanup intends to continue learning, improving and innovating to solve this global catastrophe.
This announcement comes as governments from around the world meet to continue negotiations to develop a new legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution at INC4 in Ottawa, Canada. Representatives of The Ocean Cleanup will be in attendance and the organization will be urging decision-makers to collaborate towards a comprehensive and ambitious global treaty which addresses plastic at all stages of its life cycle and in all marine environments worldwide, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
It is encouraging to see that the need for remediation is reflected in the various options for potential treaty provisions. It is essential that the final treaty contains clear targets for the remediation of legacy plastic pollution, and reduction of riverine plastic emissions.
Tackling plastic pollution requires innovative and impactful solutions. The treaty should therefore incentivize the innovation ecosystem by fostering innovations that make maximal use of data, technology and scientific knowledge – such as those designed and deployed by The Ocean Cleanup.
‘After many tough years of trial and error, it’s amazing to see our work is starting to pay off – and I am proud of the team who has brought us to this point.’ said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. ‘While we still have a long way to go, our recent successes fill us with renewed confidence that the oceans can be cleaned.’
The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 and captured its first plastic in 2019, with the first confirmed catch in the GPGP coming soon after the deployment of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta, Indonesia. After surpassing one million kilograms of trash removed in early 2022, the non-profit project has since progressed to the third iteration of its GPGP cleaning solution, known as System 03, and a network of Interceptors currently covering rivers in eight countries, with more deployments set for 2024.
About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. They aim to achieve this goal through a dual strategy: stemming the inflow via rivers and cleaning up the legacy plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. For the latter, The Ocean Cleanup develops large-scale systems to efficiently concentrate the plastic for periodic removal. This plastic is tracked and traced through DNV’s chain of custody model to certify claims of origin when recycling it into new products. To curb the tide via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor™ solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a broadly multi-disciplined team of approximately 140. The foundation is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information, visit: theoceancleanup.com and follow @theoceancleanup on social media.
Marine Life & Conservation
Steve Backshall to headline Shark Trust’s flagship event: For the Love of Sharks
Join a host of amazing, shark loving, speakers including Steve Backshall and the Shark Trust team for an evening celebrating shark conservation at the Royal Geographical Society in London this November.
Date: 29th November 2024
Time: 6-10pm
Location: Royal Geographical Society, London
Tickets: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
The event will be a celebration of all things shark. Those lucky enough to get hold of tickets will hear from engaging guest speakers with a passion for sharks.
The line-up includes (*subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise)
Steve Backshall: One of television’s busiest presenters, BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve has been passionate about the wild world ever since he was young.
Steve’s impressive TV career has taken him all around the world, investigating a wide array of species and environments. Steve has filmed over 100 hours of children’s wildlife programmes with the BAFTA award winning Deadly 60 franchise and recently, with Sky Nature, for his new series ‘Whale with Steve Backshall’. He has been a patron for the Shark Trust for 10 years.
Simon Rogerson: is a photojournalist specialising in natural history, diving and the sea.
He is editor of SCUBA magazine, the official journal of the British Sub-Aqua Club. Simon started his career as a crime reporter but gravitated towards his ‘less depressing’ interest in underwater exploration, joining the staff of DIVE magazine in 1999. In 2005 he was named ‘Editor of the Year’ in the PPA’s Independent Publishing Awards. Simon also works as a freelance writer, contributing frequently to the Sunday Times and Telegraph, in addition to BBC Wildlife, Esquire, and a host of international diving magazines. He is the author of a book, Dive Red Sea, published by Ultimate Sports. Now based in Berkshire, Simon has been a Patron of the Shark Trust for 20 years.
More speakers to be announced soon. Head to the Shark Trust website to learn more.
The evening will also allow guests the final chance to see the Oceanic 31, shark art exhibition. Some of the artwork will be auctioned/raffled at the event, while the rest will be auctioned online to raise money for the Shark Trust Oceanic Programme.
For the Love of Sharks is an evening with something for everyone who is interested and fascinated by sharks. Join the Shark Trust, their Patrons, Trustees and Staff, along with a host of supporters for this celebration of shark conservation.
For more information or to buy a ticket: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
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