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More worryingly, gill raker plates have been marketed as an aid for lactating mothers.

One recent fad has been for manta ray gill raker plates — the thin filaments these majestic creatures use to filter food from seawater.

The researchers found that some of the gill raker trade is conducted by the same networks responsible for the devastating trade in shark fins, which have turned to rays for additional profits as worldwide shark populations decline.

“We need an immediate moratorium on gill raker trade, and measures for complete protection to some populations and to reduce fishing pressure for others.”