The ball will include a silent auction, live music with Lightning Jack and with the Cape Collective, information, finger food and a raffle. Check out our fundraising page www.projectaware.causevox.com
The ball aims to raise awareness about the manta’s plight. Through manta tourism the businesses and community members of the Ningaloo Reef area have been able to make an income and here is a chance to give something back. We have chosen to fund raise for our ocean and ask you to generously support our cause by joining us at the event, donating prizes for our silent auction or donating money. If you’re unable to attend the event and you want to contribute to the international cause of manta rays protection you can donate just follow the link at the top of the page to our fundraising page. In doing so you’ll be making a difference.
If you cannot make it have your own black and white night on the 16th and post pics on our facebook page to show your support.
The event will be held on August 16th at Kane’s Camp in Coral Bay. Tickets will be on sale from the 20th of July. Studies demonstrate that the manta’s population has declined up to 86% over the past six to eight years. The main reason is that the manta’s gill rakers (the feathery structures that they use to feed) are used in Chinese medicine. International trade in gill rakers is driven by Asian markets and poses an immediate threat to the mantas survival. Catch of mantas reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has almost quadrupled in seven years. A single manta is estimated to be worth $1 million in tourism over its lifetime, while that same manta could be worth as little as $150 to a fishery. Secondary threats are by-catch, marine debris and boat strikes. Mantas are at particular risk to over-fishing because they produce very few young and many populations have already been depleted by unregulated fishing. Mantas have been classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Project AWARE and their partners worked hard and succeeded in helping to get mantas protected first under the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in 2011, then under CITES in 2013 to ensure that international trade is strictly controlled and held to sustainable levels. This was a historic milestone for manta conservation, but they’re not stopping there. This fundraiser is going to contribute for Project AWARE to continue their work to protect mantas. Our oceans thank you..
The event organization team consists of Diana Belton (a dive instructor and wildlife swimmer) and Alice Martino (a divemaster) both reside in Coral Bay WA Aus. Coral Bay is a town that lives off eco-tourism and lives well. We hope to raise awareness about the Mantas Plight but above all we hope to educate and eventually use the model that works here to allow those that feel they can only profit from a dead manta how much more beautiful and profitable it is to swim beside them. Not only do mantas swim with us but they interact with us. They look into our eyes as we look into theirs. To lose these creatures is to lose pure beauty.
