In the Maldives, all ray species are protected by law, and it is illegal to capture, keep or harm any type of ray. The export of all ray products was banned in 1995, and all ray species, including manta and devil rays, were added to the Maldivian National Protected Species List in 2014.

For migratory species, such as the oceanic manta ray, the concern is how well they are protected in other countries’ waters. Sri Lanka, which is situated 300 kilometres to the north of the Maldives, is home to one of the largest manta and devil ray fisheries in the world. Fisheries research studies conducted by the Manta Trust in Sri Lanka have estimated that thousands of these threatened rays are landed every year across the country. The relatively close distance (1,000 km) between the oceanic manta ray aggregation site in the south of the Maldives and the extensive fishery in Sri Lanka is a cause for concern, especially as the Sri Lankan and other nations' fleets fish intensively throughout this region of the Indian Ocean. However, at present, we do not know the extent, if any, of the connectivity between these populations.

Seasonality and abundance

The reef manta ray and the shorthorned pygmy devil ray are the most commonly sighted of the manta and devil rays in the Maldives. They are both abundant throughout most of the country, with a year-round presence, whilst the oceanic manta ray is regionally common for just a few months a year in Fuvahmulah, one of the southernmost atolls. The other three devil ray species (spinetail, sicklefin and bentfin) are all rarely sighted, due to their predominantly oceanic lifestyle.

Click on the species below to learn more.