Mobulas are threatened by a long list of problems, but one of the most widespread is fisheries bycatch, or unintentional capture in fishing nets. In tropical tuna purse seines — the large circular fishing nets that catch 60% of the global tuna catch — Mobula bycatch is of concern. Approximately 13,000 Mobula rays are captured in global tuna purse-seine fisheries each year. In the Eastern Tropical Pacific purse seine fishery in particular, where observers record 100% of tuna fishing sets, about one in every six sets contains a Mobula ray. This bycatch threatens Mobula populations. It also presents an enormous conservation opportunity. If we can mitigate Mobula bycatch in tuna fisheries.
We can make huge gains
for this at-risk
and charismatic species.
