At
many parts of the world manta rays are killed by people who are fishing for
their survival, because they don`t have other option to survive or to support
their family.
Manta
rays have very low reproductive rates, it is very slow or impossible for a
targeted population to recover. Although they are legally protected in a few
countries and the international trade of manta ray parts will be more strictly
controlled from next year they are vulnerable to extinction. Illegal fishing
and trade within countries still continues and marine protected areas often
don’t create sufficient bounderies for migrating manta rays or dedicated
fishermen either when the demand for dried manta ray and mobula gill rakers are
high in asian markets.
`The
lesson I learned by travelling around the world is that legal protection is not
always enough! I believe the key to effective protection is to rather create
alternative income options to these communities who now have to rely on manta
ray fishing and trade for their survival because they don`t have other
choice.`- says Csilla Ari, who established the Manta Memories Project. `The idea
of the Manta Memories Project was born when I was observing manta rays at the
Atlantis Resort and tourists wanted to buy manta ray photos from me to take
home as souvenirs.`
Less
than a year later the Manta Memories project started, to establish an alternative
income option to the most critical manta ray fishing communities by helping
them create manta ray related souvenir items and handicrafts which than will be
available at manta ray focused tourist destinations, this way generating
additional income for the fishing communities.
Similar Asset-Based Community
Development projects are successfully present worldwide that build on the
skills of local residents and on the power of local associations, to help them
recognize their capacity to build their own, sustainable, local economy.
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| Csilla Ari with the staff of the Barefoot Island Resort |
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| Farewell song from the lovely island people |
The
first distribution center of Manta Memories items was opened in Fiji at the
beginning of October, 2013 and will support the most critical manta ray fishing
communities in Indonesia.
At present a small selection of Manta Memories items are available (please check on website: www.mantamemories.org ), but we will keep you updated about the progress! We are planning to establish the first production centers during the beginning of next year!
