Internationally endangered species Sea Horse habitat conservation management

The seahorse(the genus Hippocampus), an internationally endangered species, is a coastal sedentary fish that has low mobility and small home range due to its morphological characteristics without caudal fin as compared with... [ view full abstract ]

The seahorse(the genus Hippocampus), an internationally endangered species, is a coastal sedentary fish that has low mobility and small home range due to its morphological characteristics without caudal fin as compared with general fish. In 2012, KNPS(Korea National Park Service) confirmed that seahorse appeared in Zostera marina community of seaweed in Soan island, Dadohaehaesang National Park, but marine ecosystem was disturbed due to neglect of useless fishing tools by fishing activity. To conserve seahorse communities, Soan island seahorse habitat, 1,000 zostera marinawere transplanted in 2016 and as a result of continous monitoring, the survival rate stood at 84%. In 2017, the waste fishing nets was removed with local residents and volunteers and KNPS also measured the area of Zostera marina by drone. According to the results of the survey, the area of 1.75 ㎢ out of 3.7 ㎢ was found to occupy 46% of the total area.