Historic Global Protection for Mobulid Rays: CITES Uplisting to Appendix I

In a landmark conservation decision at CITES CoP20 in November 2025, all species of manta and devil rays (mobulids) were uplisted to Appendix I, the highest level of protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This historic vote means that commercial international trade in any mobulid products is now prohibited, aiming to eliminate one of the main drivers of unsustainable fishing pressures that have pushed these slow‑growing, long‑lived rays to the brink of extinction.

The UK‑based marine conservation charity The Manta Trust played a central role in achieving this outcome, leading research, advocacy, and awareness efforts in the years leading up to the vote. Its #SaveTheMantas campaign helped build global momentum for stronger protections by highlighting the continuing decline of mobulid populations despite previous Appendix II listings, and by rallying support from divers, scientists, policymakers and ocean lovers worldwide.

The organisation also spearheaded or co‑authored major scientific assessments documenting the devastating scale of mobulid mortality in fisheries — with estimates suggesting hundreds of thousands of rays are killed annually — and used this evidence to inform the international policy process. By providing robust data, expert testimony, and strategic conservation policy work, The Manta Trust helped ensure that governments had the scientific and political case needed to support the Appendix I proposal.

While the uplisting marks a major milestone for marine conservation, The Manta Trust emphasises that the next challenge is effective implementation — strengthening enforcement, enhancing national protections, and reducing bycatch and illegal trade — to turn this historic decision into real benefits for mobulid survival.