Opportunities and constraints for developing low-cost aquaculture of seahorses in mangrove estuaries

Author(s)

Cohen, Felipe P. A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Valenti, Wagner C. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] UNESP Sao Paulo State Univ, Aquaculture Ctr CAUNESP, Via Acesso Prof Paulo Donato Castellane S-N, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[2] Sao Paulo State Univ, Biosci Inst, Coastal Campus, Praca Infante Dom Henrique S-N, BR-11330900 Sao Vicente, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Aquaculture; v. 502, p. 121-127, MAR 15 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Wild populations of seahorses are threatened by overexploitation and the increasing black market to supply the trade of dried specimens for traditional Chinese medicine, religious rituals and other uses. Intensive aquaculture systems, available for seahorses, are developed for producing high-value specimens for marine aquariums, and thus, are not suitable to solve the real threat facing their conservation, which is the market of dried seahorses. Therefore, our aim was to describe opportunities and constraints to develop low-cost aquaculture of seahorses in cages in mangrove estuaries to foster a legal and more sustainable production chain. A comprehensive review in literature was performed followed by trials throughout one year in a sub-tropical mangrove estuary to observe the strengths and weakness of low-cost systems set up in mangroves. In these systems, seahorses should grow-out relying only on wild plankton and periphyton available in the estuary. We discuss that the production of seahorses in mangrove areas has many opportunities to increase environmental and social sustainability. Nonetheless, we also addressed the main constraints of this production that should be overcome to establish a reliable culture protocol, including the environmental instability of estuaries, net obstruction, predators and escapees. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/22260-4 - Cultivation of seahorse in cages as commercial alternative to coastal communities with low-income
• Grantee: Felipe Pereira de Almeida Cohen
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate