Spotted eagle rays are large, graceful cartilaginous fish of coastal and reef waters whose welfare is threatened by fisheries bycatch, habitat degradation, and targeted hunting, with their slow reproduction making populations highly vulnerable.
Eagle ray welfare is threatened primarily through fisheries interactions. Bycatch in gillnets and longlines causes injuries from hook removal and exhaustion during capture, with high post-release mortality in some cases. Targeted hunting for gill plates causes acute suffering. Habitat degradation of the seagrass beds and coral reefs that eagle rays forage in reduces food availability and forces longer foraging distances. Their low reproductive rate means individual deaths have disproportionate population impacts. Marine protected areas that include eagle ray foraging and pupping habitat, combined with fisheries bycatch reduction measures, provide the most meaningful welfare and conservation benefits for this species.