Manta ray symposium

6 days for the future

A scientific conference has been organised by the Manta Polynesia Research & Protect association and by the TOPDIVE-Bathys group. It took place at the beginning of June in Tahiti and Bora Bora to evaluate the ecological and environmental situation for the manta rays living in the lagoon of the Pearl of the Pacific. It’s important to protect this amazing animal suffering from tourism.
The manta ray is a majestic fish who can be 8 meter large for 2-ton weight. Called by mistake the “Evil of the Seas”, this quiet and harmless animal like to swimm in deep warm waters.

This convention took place because of the unstocking of the lagoon by the manta rays. From 2004, some areas have been protected, where local people can observe these big fishes on every days. Scientists want to create an area where tourism could also mean environmental protection. The best way to communicate for this plan is the information and the education: every providers and every tourists must know about this protected specie and his way of life. How is it living? What does it eat? Why is it coming in the lagoon for reproduction? If everybody understand the lagoon, they will know how to protect it and wonderfull fishes.

The interaction between humans and animals is inevitable: we have to make it in an intelligent and durable way.