Talk of the Town

Saving The Seahorse: Conserving a Species by Helping Fishing Communities

Tues. Mar. 16, 7:30-9:00 pm

With: Dr. Amanda Vincent, Director of Project Seahorse

Seahorses really are strangely beautiful creatures and they really are fish. These creatures with the head of a horse, spines like a puffer fish, a pouch like a kangaroo, armour-plated with the ability to change colour like a chameleon, have fascinated people for thousands of years. We are impressed and amused by their grace and oddity as they slowly glide through the water. We are intrigued by their piscine biological idiosyncrasies: monogamy and male pregnancy. And of course that which captivates us, we covet.

Hundreds of thousands of seahorses are captured every year for the aquarium trade. Millions more are caught and used in traditional medicine. The best quality seahorses in traditional medicine -- the smooth, pale, large seahorses -- can sell for as much as $550 (US) per pound. As a result, the populations of some of the 33 known species of seahorses have been declining dramatically. There are lots of natural reasons why things are tough for the seahorse as well. The small brood size limits their potential reproductive rate. It seems that widowed animals don’t reproduce until they find a new partner according to most studies of species that are monogamous. Male brooding means that the young seahorse depends upon parental survival for far longer than most fish. Add to that the destruction of habitat and the capture of juveniles before they can reproduce and you can see that the seahorse has some significant challenges.

For many years now the team at Project Seahorse has been trying to give the seahorse a better chance at survival. The team’s biologists and development specialists conduct fundamental biological research, work with communities, establish marine protected areas, manage subsistence fisheries, restructure international trade, advance environmental education, promote integrated policy, and redress habitat loss. The Project is particularly sensitive to the economic reality of local fishing communities where, in some cases 20% of the households rely on seahorses for 40% of their annual income. Project Seahorse works with fishermen to find new ways of fishing and other sources of income. Dr. Vincent, as project director, has been a passionate and articulate leader who recognizes that many partners: local harvesters, national governments, international regulators, scientists and the traditional medicine community must work together to develop a successful seahorse conservation strategy.

The discussion will take place at UBC Robson Square. Attendance is free of charge, but please pre-register at info.talkofthetown@ubc.ca or phone 604.822.1700.

Biography

Dr. Amanda Vincent is the director of Project Seahorse. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Marine Conservation at the Fisheries Centre of the University of British Columbia, Canada. She has a PhD from the University of Cambridge, England and a Hons. BSc from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. Dr. Vincent was the first person to study seahorses underwater, the first to document the extensive trade in these fishes and the first to initiate a seahorse conservation project.

In 1999, Time Canada named her a Leader for the 21st Century and La Presse named her Personality of the Year for Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Technology. In 2000, McGill University named her a William Dawson Scholar. The same year, Dr. Vincent was awarded the world’s pre-eminent award in marine conservation -- a Pew Fellowship -- for her analyses and advocacy relating to non-food fisheries.

Links & Readings

Links

Project Seahorse

The site for the organization that is leading international efforts to protect the seahorse.

Kingdom of the Seahorse

The PBS science program Nova has a comprehensive and attractive site on the seahorse.

Saving Seahorses

This is the site of a Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibit that closed in 2002.

Seahorse Conservation

The Vancouver Aquarium is conducting research into raising seahorses in captivity.

UBC Fisheries Centre

The Fisheries Centre at the University of British Columbia was founded to focus and promote a multidisciplinary study of fisheries.