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(Entire Paper as PDF, 40k)
International conservation efforts are being coordinated in zoos and aquaria to improve husbandry and reduce consumption of
seahorses. These are being conducted through specialist groups of the American Zoo and Aquaria Association ( AZA) and its
European counterpart ( EAZA) with assistance from Project Seahorse.
A DERP (Display, Education, Research Population) status is being proposed for seven seahorse species and two seadragon
species in AZA institutions in North America and will be coordinated under the Marine Fish Taxon Advisory Group (MFTAG)
Regional Collection Planning document. The European Fish and Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group (FAITAG) has
recommended that an ASP (Aquatic Sustainability Program) be implemented for 4 priority seahorse species.
While the actual conservation status of seahorse species in the wild are varied and collection from the wild populations
are still undertaken, all eleven priority seahorse species are listed as threatened in the 2000 IUCN Red List
(www.redlist.org). Future restrictions on collection from the wild cannot be ruled out.
As a result, zoos and aquaria have a responsibility to minimize non-sustainable collection and improve the management of captive
populations. Both the DERP and ASP state establishing well-managed populations as a priority along with research, record
keeping, and increased awareness through education.
The goals of this management plan for captive seahorse populations are:
- To provide purebred species lines to zoo and aquarium partners for conservation, research, and education purposes
to assist collection planning and reduce taxonomic confusion.
- To maintain maximum genetic diversity within each captive population, improving health and fitness of the captive
strains.
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