Many of us view seahorses as small mythical undersea creatures, we imagine them pulling mermaids along in clamshell chariots, or leading a stampede across the seafloor. With their horse-like heads, monkey-like tails, and bony armour they do look extraordinary. But seahorses are actually fish, and like other fish they use gills to breathe and have fins that they use to swim.
Seahorses are not strong swimmers. Rather than swim, they prefer to use their muscular tail to hold onto seagrass or a piece of coral. One of the most remarkable things about seahorses is how they reproduce. Unlike most other animals it is the male seahorse that gets pregnant. Seahorses are excellent predators that eat tiny shrimp and fish that they suck in through their snout. They rely on camouflage (changing colour to blend in with their environment) to ambush their prey and also to avoid being eaten themselves.

The bony plates that cover the outside of their body make them a poor meal for most predators. These days, the biggest predator a seahorse has to worry about is a human.
Seahorse populations are threatened by over-harvesting for use in traditional medicines, for aquariums and for tourist souvenirs. In traditional Asian medicine, seahorses are used as a treatment for everything from asthma to broken bones. Other dried seahorses are used to make souvenirs, produce jewelry, key-chains, and even yo-yos. In addition to this, over 1 million live seahorses are bought and sold each year for the aquarium trade. Many end up as pets in North America, Europe and Japan. Unfortunately, seahorses are extremely difficult to keep and many die in captivity.
Seahorse populations are also threatened by destruction of their inshore habitats. Seagrass beds, mangroves, coral reefs and estuaries are among the most threatened habitats in the world. These ecosystems and their inhabitants, including seahorses, face threats like pollution, destructive fishing methods, urban development, siltation, and the invasion of non-native species.
Furthermore, seahorses are often caught as bycatch in other fisheries. For example, every year thousands of seahorses are caught accidentally in shrimp trawls or in fishing nets. Seahorse populations worldwide are facing decline. In Southeast Asia fishers and traders have reported that seahorse populations may have declined by up to 50% in the past five years. Obviously, conservation measures are urgently needed!
In response to these concerns, Canadian biologist Amanda Vincent founded a program called “Project Seahorse” in 1996.

Working to conserve and manage seahorse populations world-wide, Project Seahorse is a team of biologists and social workers based out of the University of British Columbia. They work together with fishing communities to find creative conservation solutions to protect seahorses, their relatives, and their habitats. Project Seahorse educates the public about seahorses, supports scientists who do research relating to seahorse biology and work with practitioners of traditional medicine to find alternative treatments that do not require the harvesting wild seahorses. In the Philippines, Project Seahorse has helped local communities establish marine parks and aquaculture projects to rebuild seahorse populations. The marine parks are patrolled by local villagers to help prevent poaching. People who used to fish for seahorses are helped to find new types of work. In the longterm it is hoped that Project Seahorse and other marine conservation groups will be able to ensure the long-term survival of seahorse populations, their relatives and their habitats worldwide, while at the same time respecting the needs of the humans who use them.
For more information you can visit their web site at http://www.projectseahorse.org/

So much more to know…
There is still a lot to learn about the biology of seahorses. Did you know that there is more than 1 species of seahorse? Actually, worldwide scientists have counted 32 different species. The giant Pacific Seahorse, Hippocampus ingens, can grow to 30cm long. On the other hand, a new species has been discovered off the coasts of Australia that is less than 1/2 a cm high. More species are probably still out there awaiting discovery.

There are some fisheries around the world that catch fish, not for food, but for saltwater aquariums. Fish collectors around the world will pay a lot of money for rare species. Many of these rare species come from coral reefs in developing countries where good paying jobs are hard to find. 99% of marine aquarium fish come from the wild. Often destructive collecting methods like cyanide and dynamite are used that also harm the rest of the coral reef ecosystem. There is an estimated 66% mortality rate within the first 6 months in captivity for most tropical species, some species almost 100%. Many aquarium owners also like to put live coral in with their fish tanks to create a natural setting, however, less than 5% of live corals survive more than a year in aquaria. Responsible aquarium owners are learning that they can have a beautiful tank without the need for live coral. They also make a point to ask for fish that have been farmed or bred especially for aquarium use. Many people even refuse to buy fish or supplies from stores that stock dynamite and cyanide-caught fish. If you own an aquarium, you can help by finding out what hidden impacts you are having, and by doing your best to minimize them. You may find that your aquarium seems much more beautiful once you’ve cleaned it of those costs to the environment!
Suppliers of aquarium fish are also making positive changes. For example in Southeast Asia and in the South Pacific, people who collect species for the aquarium trade are becoming “eco-certified”. This means that any fish or coral will have been collected in a sustainable way (example, using nets instead of dynamite or poisons). Do some research! As a consumer, your choice can help support coral reef conservation efforts.

NEXT PAGE