Manta rays are slow-reproducing, highly mobile marine animals facing threats from targeted fishing for gill plates used in traditional medicine and poorly regulated wildlife tourism interactions.
Manta rays caught in targeted fisheries or as bycatch die through drowning in nets, decompression from rapid ascent, or direct killing — all involving significant distress. The gill plate trade drives targeted fishing of animals that serve no medical purpose their deaths can fulfill. Overly intrusive dive tourism — touching rays, blocking their path, chasing them — causes acute stress responses and can interrupt critical feeding or cleaning behaviors. Well-managed manta tourism with strict behavioral guidelines (no touching, minimum distances, passive observation) demonstrates that human-wildlife interaction can occur without welfare harm. The economic value of manta ray tourism significantly exceeds gill plate harvest value, providing strong conservation incentives aligned with welfare goals.