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Dried seahorses in shell shop in Cebu.
© Project Seahorse, J.J. Meeuwig
Seahorses are taken from the wild and dried to be sold as souvenirs like key chains, earrings and dried novelties all around
the world in shell shops for the tourist trade. Many people who buy dried seahorses don't realize that they are dried animals
that were once living.
Seahorse fisher.
© Project Seahorse, Thomas Bertelsen
Fisher working at night.
Seahorse curiosity, yo-yo.
© Project Seahorse
This yo-yo contains a dried seahorse embedded in the plastic of the toy.
Seahorses in traditional medicine.
© Project Seahorse, Amanda Vincent
Dried seahorses for sale in traditional Chinese medicine market. Used throughout Asian and non-Asian communities
worldwide, traditional medicines are accepted by the World Trade Organization and other authorities as valid treatments
for many illnesses. Traditional medicines are responsible for the majority of the seahorse trade. Seahorses are believed
to treat problems such as: asthma, kidney disease, impotence, skin aliments, high cholesterol, goiters and heart
disease.
Seahorses in traditional medicine.
© Project Seahorse, Amanda Vincent
Dried seahorses for sale in traditional Chinese medicine market.
Seahorse aquarium dealer in Philippines.
© Project Seahorse, Amanda Vincent
Seahorses collected and kept in containers to be sold in the home aquarium trade. The home aquarium trade sells
difficult-to-keep wild seahorses to inexperienced hobbyists. The problem is not so much that hobbyists keep them, but that they
try again and again without success. Once a seahorse is caught, it is packaged for export, distributed and sold. In all, this
process can last weeks- during which time the animals are deprived of food (most will only eat live food). The stress they have
endured makes them vulnerable to fungal and bacterial infections.
Dried seahorses and shark cartilage in Anilao.
© John G. Shedd Aquarium, Edward G. Lines
Seahorses and other marine animals are often caught accidentally in commercial fisheries. For example, shrimp trawlers
catch an average of 15 kilograms of by-catch or "trash fish" (including seahorses) for every one kilogram of shrimp. Most
of these animals die in the trawls, on deck, or soon after being thrown back into the water. Fishing methods need to be
modified to protect seahorses, just as those that now claim to exclude dolphins and turtles.
Seahorse pens, Handumon.
© John G. Shedd Aquarium
Pens used by seahorse fishers while fishing.
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