Brussels, 23/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - This Tuesday 24 April, the European Commission is set to adopt a proposal to add the giant manta ray to the list of protected species which may not be caught by EU boats. In so doing, it is adopting a decision made at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) of the Convention of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which was held in Bergen (Norway) on 20-25 November 2010, into community law. At that meeting, the giant manta ray (Manta birostris) was added to the list of species protected by this Convention in its Appendix 1 (prohibition of the taking of certain species) and Appendix 2 (species which require international agreements for their conservation and management). From now on, giant manta rays must be protected in all waters for EU vessels and, for non-EU vessels, in EU waters. (LC/transl.fl)