The Longhorned Pygmy Devil Ray occurs throughout UAE waters and may be locally common there. There is a total ban on fishing for this species in UAE waters. It may be a synonym of Mobula kuhlii according to some workers. It is a component of the bycatch in several fisheries, but much of this catch is unreported. It is directly targeted in Sri Lanka (if it occurs there) and India, and exported to international markets, especially China where the gill plates are highly-valued. When captured in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, it is typically discarded alive, and significant declines are not suspected there at this time. Its low productivity causes it to be susceptible to rapid population declines when experiencing exploitation. It is especially susceptible to exploitation (target and bycatch) in many largely unregulated gill net, longline and trawl fisheries that operate within its range outside and surrounding UAE waters. Some management measures are now in place in the Arabian Sea region, although domestic fisheries are likely to continue. Though data specifically from the UAE are not available, individuals in the UAE are a component of a larger, interconnected and migratory population that occurs broadly in the north-western Indian Ocean. It is inferred that declines reported in the Arabian Sea region are representative of its status in the UAE. Based on recorded levels of exploitation, it is suspected to have declined by 20-30% over the past three generation lengths, or about 23 years. It is listed as Near Threatened, nearly meeting the thresholds for Vulnerable A2d.