First records of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi in the Bohol Sea, Philippines, and its implication for conservation

Abstract

We report the occurrence of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi Krefft 1868 in the Bohol Sea, Philippines, based on photographic evidence from boat-based surveys and a fishery specimen. Despite previous anecdotal reports from the diving industry and over a century of extensive targeted fisheries for mobulid rays in the Philippines, it was not until recently that the species was first confirmed in the country at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Palawan. Our results confirm the presence of M. alfredi in the Visayas region of the Philippines, extending the current range for the species from the Sulu Sea over 600 km eastwards. Its presence in a region with an active mobulid fishery has important implications for the conservation and management of M. alfredi in the country. We highlight the need to understand the distribution of M. alfredi in the region and make management recommendations based on the present study.