Sad story about the beautiful seahorses

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Monogamous Seahorse is its Own Worst Enemy

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IRELAND: June 25, 2003

 

 

CARNA - Seahorses are their own worst enemy.

 

 

 

Fished to the point of extinction for the traditional Chinese medicine

market, they mate for life and their unwillingness to seek new partners

after being separated has done little to improve their chances of survival.

 

One of their better hopes for conservation may lie in the unlikeliest of

places - a ramshackle shed perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Seahorse Ireland says its goal is to help save the species by cultivating

seahorses born in captivity for the growing aquarium market.

 

" We want to make people aware that the captive-bred seahorse is a much

better buy, " said production manager Ken Maher, from the makeshift

laboratory in Connemara, west Ireland. " There's no deleterious effect on the

environment and the seahorse will survive and flourish in your tank. "

 

Seahorses are no ordinary sea creatures, notwithstanding their monogamy

which is highly unusual for the animal kingdom. It is the male who receives

eggs from his female partner and fertilizes them himself.

 

" The female swims up to her chosen male partner and the two change color as

they dance around each other for hours in an elaborate courtship ritual, "

said Maher.

 

After receiving eggs from the female, the male is pregnant for about three

weeks before giving birth.

 

PIONEERING LOW-COST TECHNOLOGY

 

The low-cost technology pioneered by Seahorse Ireland could be transferred

to poorer parts of the world, where seahorse stocks are fast becoming

depleted.

 

Next year, a ban on international trade in seahorses, unless they are

captive-bred or bred for scientific purposes, is due to come into operation

- a move likely to cripple the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen.

 

" Other conservation bodies try to say 'this is a sanctuary, no fishing is

allowed here', and try to get locals to make arts and crafts instead, " Maher

said.

 

" But these people are fishermen who want to live near the sea. I know I

could not switch to making arts and crafts if I was in their position. "

 

If no alternative is provided, the trade will simply go underground, Maher

said.

 

An estimated 40 million seahorses a year are taken from the wild for

traditional Chinese medicine, in which they are used as an aphrodisiac and

to treat a range of ailments including heart disease.

 

Demand has risen in recent years to such an extent that seahorses retail for

about $1,900 a kilo (2.2 lb) in Asia.

 

A further one million are fished for the curio trade because seahorses

retain their shape and color when dried.

 

The pet trade takes another one million, but very few survive beyond a few

months or so without live food.

 

TRAINED TO EAT FROZEN FOOD

 

That's where Seahorse Ireland comes in - it trains captive-born seahorses to

get used to frozen food.

 

" Once we train them to take frozen food, they can be sent all over the

world, " said Maher.

 

Set up three years ago by Maher and his fellow marine biologist Kealan

Doyle, Seahorse Ireland has two key advantages right on its doorstep.

 

First, the larger of the two seahorse species local to Ireland, the spiny

seahorse, can be found in seagrass beds in and around nearby Kilkieran Bay.

 

In addition, the west coast of Ireland offers an abundance of zooplankton

enriched by nutrients from the Gulf Stream, and the company has developed a

system to extract and freeze this food.

 

Maher dismissed criticism from some environmentalists that breeding

seahorses in captivity will serve only to boost demand, heaping more

pressure on rapidly declining stocks.

 

Capable of spawning 200 offspring at a go in the wild, with the right

conditioning seahorses could breed closer to 1,000 juveniles, Maher said.

 

The company aims to sell seahorses for the pet market, retailing from 200

euros each, over the Internet, to be dispatched for next-day delivery.

 

" Seahorses travel quite well in tightly packed bags, with oxygen, just like

goldfish, " Maher said.

 

Sales are forecast at around 30,000 next year and around 70,000 the year

after.

 

Over time, Maher said there are plans to open a visitor center, using the

seahorse as an icon for other endangered species.

 

" We will use it as a focus for conservation because it's not just the panda

in China or the river dolphin in India that are in need of help, " he said.

 

 

Story by Stephen Cunningham

 

 

 

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE