Manta rays are hunted for their gill rakers used in traditional medicine, causing population declines and significant welfare issues at the point of capture.
Harpoon and net capture causes physical injury and extreme distress. Mantas removed from water undergo rapid physiological decline. The killing process is frequently slow and painful. Populations in targeted areas have declined significantly. Because mantas are slow to reproduce, hunting removes a disproportionate share of the breeding population, multiplying population-level welfare impacts.