Building Capacity and Advancing Seahorse Conservation in Indonesia
Project Seahorse has teamed up with National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Indonesia to advance seahorse research and conservation. Indonesia is home to 11 seahorse species, making it a globally significant region for their conservation. However, seven of these species are frequently traded in traditional medicine, and that is why we must understand how this trade impacts their populations and habitats.
Recognising that closing information gaps is key to ensuring legal and sustainable trade in seahorses, and meeting national obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Indonesian government invited our team to support their efforts in seahorse conservation.
To kick-start the collaboration, our team first met with officials from the national fisheries agency in Jakarta to clarify current management and regulations related to seahorses and to explore how we could best support the government and its partners.
We also co-hosted the ‘Seahorse Research and Conservation’ workshop with BRIN. The hybrid event brought together nearly 200 participants, including fisheries management officials, researchers, academics, and NGOs. Participants gained hands-on experience in species identification, led by Dr. Miguel Correia, our seahorse biologist. They also received training on conducting seahorse trade surveys, led by Dr. Jana McPherson, our Project Manager for sustainable wildlife trade.
“This workshop is a big step towards stronger national and international collaboration in advancing seahorse conservation,” said Dr. Sarah Foster, Project Seahorse’s Program Leader and Focal point for Global Trade for the IUCN SSC Seahorse, Pipefish, and Seadragon Specialist Group. “By helping colleagues access the right skills and knowledge, we’re laying the groundwork for joint action to ensure sustainable trade of these iconic fishes.”
One of the key experts from BRIN leading the training was Masayu Rahmia Anwar Putri, who is also Indonesia’s representative in the global expert group on seahorses and pipefish. She emphasised the urgent need for better regulations and more comprehensive data on Indonesia’s seahorses.
“One big challenge is the lack of strong data on all species. We hope this training will empower participants to learn more about where seahorses live, how they live, and how they’re being fished and traded. Ultimately, that knowledge will help us make informed conservation decisions for these magical fishes and our seas,” said Masayu.
The sessions also included presentations on the livelihoods of fishers involved in Indonesia’s seahorse trade, and lessons learned from the Saving Mr. Mom project by Chai Apale, leader for our Philippines Seahorse Program.
“The workshop was informative and equipped us with the right tools for the conservation of seahorses in Indonesia. The facilitators drew on their experience working with seahorses in different countries, making complex topics easy to grasp and the learning process both insightful and engaging,” said Wahid Suherfian, a participant and representative from Rare Indonesia.
We are pleased about this first step towards strengthening conservation efforts and finding sustainable ways to manage seahorse populations in Indonesia. Next, we continue our mission in Cambodia and Thailand. Stay tuned for more updates!
This workshop and the conservation impact it aims to create, was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.