Tampa Bay Watch staff spotted a manta ray estimated to be around 8-9 feet wide off of Shell Key Preserve in 2018. Manta rays are the world’s largest ray and get up to 22 feet wide on average. They are often seen slowly swimming on the surface of the water feeding on plankton. Manta rays are vulnerable to overfishing due to slow growth, slow reproduction rates, and their long lifespan. They are protected in Florida waters and have recently been listed as a federally protected species.
