You have probably heard a lot about how various conservation groups and governments are coming together to attempt to put a stop to the shark fin trade. What you might not know is that manta rays are also at risk. A new film produced by diver, cinematographer, and marine conservationist Shawn Heinrichs is attempting to spread the word about rays, and to put a stop to their decline.
Manta Ray of Hope
Manta Ray of Hope offers an intimate look into the world of manta rays, highlighting not just the threats these magnificent animals are facing, but also profiling the efforts being made to save them from a cruel fate.
Shawn Heinrichs was born in South Africa, and has been enthralled with the ocean ever since he was a child. About ten years ago, he began creating short films as a hobby, and now, he has his own media company, called Blue Sphere Media. His work focuses not just on the oceans and the animals that live in them, but on people and how we interact with marine environments and the animals we share those environments with.
Heinrichs decided to make a film about manta rays while conducting an investigation into the shark fin trade. He noticed that manta rays and mobula rays were not just being sold for their meat, but that they were also being sold for their gill rakers. While visiting a small Indonesian fishing port, he and his crew discovered more than 23 dead rays lined up for sale along the street; the scene was repeated daily. Traders were also stockpiling bags of dried gill rakers, and at one site, the crew was shown more than 100 sets of manta gill rakers being dried up on a rooftop. While on this same excursion, Heinrichs learned that cartilage from rays “wings,” or fins, is often used as a source of filler in shark fin soup.
When the team asked why fishermen were targeting the rays, they were told that gill rakers were a popular ingredient in Chinese medicine as a tonic for “cooling the blood.” They also learned that fishermen in Mexico and the Philippines were targeting mantas, and that governments which had once prohibited their killing had lifted bans.
Manta Ray of Hope shares beautiful views of some of the most breathtaking underwater habitats on earth with its viewers, and it allows people to see firsthand the magnificent flight of the rays. Following various researchers and scientists who have worked to identify and track various individual rays, the film also shows what happens when the researchers see mantas they know being fished out of the ocean right before their eyes.
In addition, the film’s crew goes undercover, traveling through remote villages and busy cities, all in hopes of better understanding not only how the trade works, but what is driving it. In addition, the team challenges claims about the supposed health benefits of gill rakers, and along the way, they talk to a number of people who want to put a stop to the slaughter of manta and mobula rays.
Unlike some films that target audiences primarily made up of conservation-minded individuals, Manta Ray of Hope aims to target “demand side” viewers, to increase their awareness of rays, and to help people understand that mantas are worth much more alive than they are dead. By increasing understanding about the value of eco-tourism, particularly in areas where the rays are protected, and by decreasing consumer demand, Heinrichs and his team hope to make a global impact and put a stop to the demand for products made from rays.