2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Hippocampus kelloggi
UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
Distribution in range State: The occurrence of H. kelloggi in Tanzania was reported by
Lourie et al. (1999; 2004), where the species was found in the Zanzibar Archipelago and
along the northern mainland coast, with reports from Bagamoyo and Ushongo (McPherson
and Vincent, 2011).
Population trends and status: No information on trends and status of the species was
located. As most fishermen and divers were reported to be unaware that several
Hippocampus species exist, it was found to be impossible to gain species-specific abundance
estimates (McPherson and Vincent, 2004).
Hippocampus spp. were considered to be rare off Dar es Salaam, Lindi [southern Tanzania]
and most of Unguja [Zanzibar, island]; fairly common in northern Tanzania (Tanga,
Kigombe, Pangani), Mtwara (southern Tanzania) and southern Pemba [island]; abundant in
Bagamoyo [northern central Tanzania], the Rufiji Delta [central Tanzania], and Unguja’s
Menai Bay; and very abundant in most of northern Pemba, off Mkokotoni (north of Unguja)
and in Mafia [island] (McPherson and Vincent, 2004).
Threats: Hippocampus spp. was considered to be threatened by overexploitation (McPherson
and Vincent, 2004). The CITES Management Authority of Tanzania (in litt. to UNEP-WCMC,
2011) reported the species to be caught as bycatch in artisanal and commercial fisheries, and
for seine and dynamite fishing to also affect the species.
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, no trade in H. kelloggi from Tanzania
was reported 2004-2010. With the exception of 2007, all annual reports from Tanzania have
been received for the period 2000-2010.
Trade in dried Hippocampus spp. from Tanzania was considered to be substantial in 2000,
with reports of annual exports of at least 634-937 kg (about 254 000–339 000 specimens),
although some specimens possibly originated in Mozambique (McPherson and Vincent,
2004). McPherson and Vincent (2004) did not encounter any trade in live specimens in
Tanzania and reported that local use of Hippocampus spp. was very limited.
The CITES MA of Tanzania (in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) reported there to be no export
trade for this species.
Management: Hippocampus spp. was reported to be predominantly obtained as by-catch and
wild populations were therefore thought to require management beyond the regulation of
export trade (McPherson and Vincent, 2004). The use of explosives and poison for fishing is
not permitted (Tanzania Fisheries Act, 2003) and efforts to phase out destructive fishing
techniques were thought to potentially benefit seahorses, although enforcement was
considered poor (McPherson and Vincent, 2004). A number of Marine Protect Areas’s were
thought to contain Hippocampus spp. populations (McPherson and Vincent, 2004).
VIET NAM
Distribution in range State: The species was reported to occur in Quang Nam-Da Nang and
the provinces Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan (Lourie et al., 1999). The Vietnamese CITES
Management Authority (T.M. Vuong, in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) reported that the
species’ distribution ranged from Da Nang to Kien Giang Province.
Population trends and status: The CITES Management Authority of Viet Nam (T.M. Vuong,
in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) considered H. kelloggi to be abundant, although the
population was thought to be declining slightly. The species was included as Vulnerable in
the list of endangered species published by the Ministry of Agriculture in Decision Number
82/2008/QD-BNN.
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