On December 31st, Peru’s Ministry of Production passed new protections for the Giant Manta Rays known to inhabit the country’s surrounding waters. The law bans the fishing of manta rays as well requiring the immediate release of any manta ray bycatch. The regulations come after international attention was given to a 26 foot manta caught by Peruvian fishermen last spring.

This is what Jesús Eloy Barrientos Ruiz, Director of Supervision and Fiscalization of the Ministry of Production, had to say about the new regulations: “My team and I are extremely proud to have generated legal action for the protection of giant oceanic manta rays in Peru through this Ministerial Resolution. We thus highlight our commitment to promote positive change within our fisheries sector. Our ultimate goal is to achieve sustainable fisheries and sustainable consumption in benefit of future generations”

Read the full article here.