HONG KONG’S SEAHORSE CURE-ALL FRAUD
DIVERS ENJOY DIVING for various reasons, but for me, it has always been connecting with marine life and studying the creatures I meet... while being studied in return. Although some form of communication seems much easier with larger animals such as cetaceans, manatees, and whalesharks, l’ve always greatly enjoyed encounters with cephalopods, mantis shrimp, and of course seahorses.
Three seahorse species can be found in Hong Kong waters. They are the yellow seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, three-spot seahorse, H. trimaculatus, and the great seahorse, H. kelloggi, which are moderately abundant around coral areas and in eastern Hong Kong waters down to about seven metres depth. Low visibility underwater and their natural camouflage make them difficult to spot. To me, seahorses are the graceful chameleons of the seas and l could not imagine wanting to hurt one. I would only want to capture them with a camera!
Sadly, that is not always the case, especially when profits come into the equation. Although there are currently no targeted commercial seahorse fisheries in Hong Kong and with the implementation of a trawling ban since January of 2013, the problem of seahorse by-catch has reduced considerably. Hong Kong is still, however, considered the most active trading hub for seahorses, with registered legal imports of 29–40
tons of dried seahorses annually over the past 20 years. That is roughly 2–3.5 million seahorses per year!
Traditional Chinese medicine
(TCM) incorporates seahorses in their formulas. Seahorses for the TCM market are caught and dried in the sun so that they can be stored almost indefinitely, and they retail at between USD400 and USD3,000 per kilogram. This is a major
Seahorses for the TCM market retail at between USD400 and USD3,000 per kilogram
factor contributing to the global decline of seahorse populations.
I’ve heard traders say seahorse can treat asthma, throat infections, insomnia, abdominal pain, skin ailments, and are even considered an aphrodisiac! None of that has any scientific basis and is nothing more than a sales pitch. Some TCM practitioners say that pregnant women should drink a broth made of seahorse and herbs to insure a complication-free pregnancy. However, there are many herbal options that will treat all of these conditions more reliably.
Seahorses are listed in Appendix II of CITIES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), and in Hong Kong the trade of seahorses is restricted. Yet, there is little enforcement. Perhaps we can change that? I have found that we really can make a difference. For example, Hong Kong's ban on trawling would not have happened were it not for the dedication of concerned groups and individuals who lobbied tirelessly for it. You can make a difference by sharing your love of the oceans and inspiring others to understand how important the health of our oceans is to our own survival. Each species is a vital link in the chain of biodiversity, to be protected and preserved for future generations.