SciencePhoto: Mongabay IndiaSmall-Scale Fisheries Threaten Ray Populations Globally
Manta and devil rays, known as mobulids, face significant threats from small-scale fisheries, with about 259,000 killed annually worldwide. India leads with 28.2% of these deaths, followed by Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Peru, accounting for 87% collectively. A decade-long study in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, revealed declining populations of four mobulid species due to fishing bycatch, highlighting urgent conservation needs.
Mongabay India··Thoothukudi



