A few years ago, in the Bay of California, Palacios began implanting small acoustic devices in rays that translated them into data messengers. Hire the fishermen on the mission, capture the animals, and return them to the water. The strategy, known as passive acoustic telemetry, is carried out very cautiously despite seemingly invasive. Once released, the animal resumes swimming.
Each time a marked animal passes near an underwater receiver, the date and duration of its access is recorded. With these data, Palacio can describe This is the first breeding area M. Munkiana Bay in the Bay of California. To further reconstruct the life history of these organisms, scientists gathered testimony from fishermen and used drones to observe their monumental populations.
Palacios hardly slept these days. He spent the night, looking at the fishermen with spotted stingrays at the bottom, a commercial and legal fishing species in Mexico when they threw the net into the sea. In those nets, Mobulas were accidentally captured. One of his experiments included recordings over 40 nights and assessing whether using lighter mesh can reduce bystander.
Lack of strict protection
Due to its so-called medicinal properties, there is an increasing demand for meat and G-plate in Asia. Palacios recently led a study that attempted to understand the magnitude of the problem, which involved 100 surveys and interviews in 19 countries. The team analyzed data from 75 countries, including photos and records of epilepsy seizures in Palestine, Somalia, Vietnam and Hong Kong.
The study shows that meat is from Bangladesh (Ecuador mainland, India and Myanmar), Ecuador (Peru), India, Madagascar, Madagascar, Mauritania, Myanmar, Myanmar (to Thailand), Oman (to Arab Arab Arab Arab Emirates) and other countries Exporting country. , Senegal, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The highest price of dried meat (to $10/kg) was found in Bangladesh and Myanmar, while fresh meat reached $8/kg in Benin, Mexico, Brazil and the Republic of Congo M. The rioter and M. Alfredi It is the most hunted species.
G-plate harvested in 14 countries in Africa and Asia, mainly imported into mainland China and Hong Kong, where a kilogram costs $1,260. They also arrived in Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.
The researchers also found that although international freight trade involves 20 countries, only five reported the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Groups and Flora and Flora and Fauna. Since 2013, Cites has allowed the regulation of Mobulas’ trade to prevent it from extinction, but trafficking in meat and parts of these animals has not decreased. Therefore, some researchers recommend that you ban trade altogether.
Habitat care is also weak. United Nations Biodiversity Targets By 2030, countries call for 30% of water to be designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Although MPA has increased dramatically in the past 15 years, it is currently Only 16% of marine habitat Crucial to sharks and rays, landing inside the MPA, where only 7% of the habitat is “take-free” areas, where fishing is prohibited altogether.
This story originally appeared in Wired enespañol and has been translated into Spanish.
