Seahorse smuggling exposed: Millions seized over a decade

Nearly five million dried seahorses have been seized in smuggling operations over a ten-year period. The estimated value of these illegal hauls is about $21 million. Yet experts warn that the true scale of the trade could be far greater than the numbers suggest.

The findings come from a study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and OceansAsia. The team analyzed online seizure records from 2010 to 2021 and found smuggling incidents across 62 countries.

Customs officers most commonly intercepted dried seahorses, which are often used in traditional medicine, at airports. They were found tucked into passenger baggage or hidden in sea cargo.

A global seahorse smuggling network

Dr. Sarah Foster is a conservation scientist who has been a research associate at UBC’s Project Seahorse for more than 20 years.

“The nearly 300 seizures we analyzed were based only on online records and voluntary disclosures including government notices and news stories,” said Dr. Foster. “This means that what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.”

The study revealed that seahorses are not smuggled alone. They are often found alongside other illegally traded wildlife products like elephant ivory and pangolin scales. This highlights that marine life is deeply entangled in the same illicit trade networks that move terrestrial animals around the globe.

There was also a notable shift in trade routes. While China and Hong Kong remain major destinations, dried seahorses are now moving through Europe and Latin America more frequently.

“Trade routes appear to be diversifying, and so must enforcement efforts,” added Syd Ascione, an undergraduate research biologist at Project Seahorse.

Legal loopholes fuel smuggling

Seahorses can legally be traded under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), provided traders have permits showing that their activities do not harm wild populations. CITES has 184 member countries, including Canada and the European Union.

However, securing these permits can be challenging. Traders must prove that their seahorse harvests are sustainable, a barrier that often pushes the business underground. As a result, many shipments bypass legal channels entirely.

Enforcement efforts tend to focus on large, charismatic animals like elephants or tigers. This leaves marine species like seahorses vulnerable due to limited data and lower visibility in conservation efforts.

“All countries must step up with strong deterrents – good detective work, determined enforcement, and meaningful penalties – to shut down the illegal seahorse trade,” said Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research at OceansAsia.

“At the same time, we must continue using innovative research and investigation methods to uncover hidden networks and outpace traffickers.”

The seahorse smuggling hotspots

Most seizures happened not at the point of origin but in transit or at the destination. Airports were hotspots for enforcement, with passenger baggage accounting for the majority of cases.

Yet, authorities seized the largest volumes of seahorses in sea cargo, signaling the need to sharpen their vigilance at maritime borders as well.

Customs and enforcement agencies were responsible for most of the seizures. However, just seven percent of cases reported legal penalties, making it hard to determine how often offenders face consequences.

The team also analyzed financial records tied to these busts. Using 34 available records, they estimated the value of a single seahorse at around $5. This led them to project the total seized market value to $21 million over the decade.

Balancing conservation and livelihoods

Seahorses hold significant value in traditional medicine and are a vital income source for some fishing communities. This dual role makes combating illegal trade a delicate task.

“We need to make sustainable, legal trade viable enough that people obey the laws, and ensure that we also have sufficient deterrents to stop illegal activity,” said Dr. Foster.

She emphasized the importance of protecting seahorses not only for conservation but also for communities that rely on them.

“Seahorses are a symbol of ocean biodiversity and protecting them helps everyone involved. We’ve done work with traditional medicine traders in Hong Kong, and when we ask them, ‘How long do you want seahorses around?’, they say ‘Forever, they’re really important!’ And we agree.”

The full study was published in the journal Conservation Biology.

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