(Fort Myers) - Video showing the capture of a giant manta ray off the coast of Florida for display at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi has led the Florida Fish and Wildlife commission to take action. FWC Chair Rodney Barretto agreed mantas should not be exported internationally, but he stopped short of a complete ban.
The commission passed an amendment allowing for the Georgia Aquarium and other entities to petition the board if another manta is needed for educational purposes. The amendment also includes the endangered Queen Conch. Florida is the only state that allows collection of giant manta rays that can have a wingspan of up to 30-feet.
Concerned resident Holly Barbour spoke in favor of a complete ban on permitting capture of Manta rays.
"The video showing the capture of the female manta ray was a hideous middle finger to a threatened species and to the protection that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission I'm sure wants to uphold."