Small-scale fisheries drive high mortality rates for mobulid rays globally

Global fisheries kill approximately 259,000 mobulid rays annually, with India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Peru accounting for 87% of these deaths. India is the highest contributor at 28.2%, driven primarily by small-scale fisheries operating in shallow coastal waters where rays feed. Limited catch data has historically masked the severity of population impacts, but recent research highlights increasing fishing pressure as a primary risk. A study tracking bycatch in Tamil Nadu from 2013 to 2023 confirmed population declines across four major devil and manta ray species due to overfishing.

Editor's note: Concise, highly dense, and accurately reflects all specific figures and findings from the source.