Manta ray bycatch in tuna and pelagic fisheries causes significant welfare harm — modified gear and operational practices substantially reduce unintended capture.
Manta ray bycatch welfare harm is direct and preventable through available gear modifications. Entangled mantas experience stress, injury, and sometimes drowning — acute welfare harm during capture and retrieval. Available mitigation technologies including SREDs and hook type modifications have demonstrated effectiveness without proportional tuna catch loss, making the welfare case for adoption strong from both ethical and commercial perspectives. The barrier is implementation: voluntary adoption is insufficient given competitive fishing pressures, making RFMO binding requirements or market access conditions more effective drivers. Consumer demand for certified products from fisheries with verified bycatch mitigation programs creates an alternative pathway when regulatory approaches are slow.