Wildlife officials in Florida have decided that giant manta rays - those majestic, threatened ocean gliders - can still be plucked from the sea, just not shipped abroad for your viewing pleasure. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted on Wednesday to adopt an amended rule that allows rays to be captured for “responsible exhibition” in the US, but only with the commission’s direct prior consent.
The move came after a bipartisan group of 18 politicians, including Republican congressman Brian Mast and Democratic state senator Jason Pizzo, demanded an outright ban, spurred by a viral video last summer showing five men roughly hauling an upside-down ray onto an unmarked private boat off Panama City Beach. That capture was authorized by a “special activity license” (SAL) from the FWC, and the ray was destined for SeaWorld Abu Dhabi - one of three taken from Florida waters for the UAE theme park in two years. One of those rays died soon after capture, and 25 SALs have been issued for manta rays since 2019, with 75% intended for international aquariums, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Under the new rule, rays can no longer be sent to aquariums overseas, and any US entity seeking to exhibit one must prove an educational reason. Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium - currently the only facility in the country equipped to house the species, which can reach 26 feet (8 meters) and 5,300 pounds (2,400 kg) - is the likely beneficiary.
Lindsay Cross, a Democratic state representative and sponsor of the Marine and Aquatic Native Threatened Animal (Manta) Protection Act (which died in committee in March), called the commission’s move “a step forward.” Her bill would have banned capture of threatened or endangered marine species entirely. “While myself and others were seeking a complete ban,” she said, “the amended rule will ban the international export of any federally threatened or endangered species for the purposes of exhibition or education.” The rule also allows public comment on future SALs.
Alicia Prygoski of the Animal Legal Defense Fund praised the “meaningful step” but lamented the removal of a proposed cap of one manta ray every two years. “Giant manta rays are threatened for a reason,” she said, “and they deserve that highest level of protection, which would mean, of course, not pulling any of them from the water.” Still, she noted the ban on international exports was a strong response to that viral video and stakeholder outreach.
FWC chair Rodney Barreto, in a statement, said the panel weighed concerns against the need for education about vulnerable species. “FWC is committed to the responsible conservation of endangered and threatened species,” he said. “We recognize the role public aquariums play in building support for conservation.” So, in short: you can still catch a giant manta ray, just don’t try to mail it to Dubai.