The Manta Trust
Manta rays are one of the many sea creatures whose survival is being threatened by overfishing. The Manta Trust – a UK registered charity – is committed to protecting and ensuring the survival of these mysterious and charismatic animals in more than 20 different countries.
A Long-Term Partnership: Carl F. Bucherer and the Manta Trust
Focusing on the next generation, Carl F. Bucherer entered into its long-term partnership with the Manta Trust in 2013 and has been pleased to be able to help build solid foundations for a sustainable future for the oceans where manta rays thrive in healthy, diverse marine ecosystems. The Patravi ScubaTec Verde is the fifth watch Carl F. Bucherer has launched in partnership with the Manta Trust since 2017. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of each model was donated to the foundation, and a contribution from the sale of the Patravi ScubaTec Verde is specifically dedicated to the Manta Trust’s new floating research station project.
ECUADOR RESEARCH EXPEDITION 2023
The Pacific is superlative in every sense of the word. It is the largest and deepest of the Earth’s oceans, covering 30% of the planet. So, it’s no surprise that the largest creatures live in the Pacific. Back roll off of a dive boat anywhere in this blue frontier and you never know what you might see—whales, sharks, whale sharks, orcas, the elusive mola mola, or, the reason we are here in Ecuador: oceanic manta rays. But even finding these gentle giants in such a vast frontier is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. But there are a few places where chances are better, and that is what has brought the Manta Trust team the Manta Trust to the small, uninhabited island of Isla de la Plata, 40 kilometers northwest of the small fishing village of Puerto Lopez.
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Maldives Research Expedition 2021
Talking with the Manta Trust team, it's quickly apparent how important this floating research vessel - a boat chartered by Carl F. Bucherer for 17 days and on which I’m staying for three - is to its activities.
The Maldives cover a vast area, more than 750km top to bottom, with some 1,200 islands across 26 atolls. The trust's Maldivian bases are mostly around the central islands, from where they can conduct nearby research. But getting to the north is harder. Much harder. Fewer than a thousand of the 80,000 manta sightings across the Maldives have been up here.
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