Table 4 Examples of how information provided by fishers can be used to manage seahorses and their habitats in Brazil
From: Fishers' knowledge and seahorse conservation in Brazil
Objective | Information provided by fishers |
|---|---|
Identify threats to seahorses populations Determine those populations targetted by fisheries, the incidental capture in fisheries, and other sources of mortality | Population declines through overharvesting and bycatch; habitat damage. |
Identify and document useful practices for maintaining seahorses in captivity (live trade) | Keeping seahorses in the wild until selling the specimens |
Identify economic incentives that threaten seahorse wild populations | Brooding seahorses are captured because they are accepted by buyers; No control of seahorses caught as bycatch in commercial nets; specimens enter the dried trade |
Reduce to the greatest extent practicable the incidental capture and mortality of seahorses in nets through the development of spatial and seasonal closures | Fishers detain a broad knowledge of seahorses' habitats and main areas of occurrence. |
Establish necessary measures to protect and conserve seahorse habitats, through the identification of areas of critical habitat. | Fishers detain a broad knowledge of seahorses' habitats and main areas of occurrence, and of possible migrations |
Gather information on seahorse populations and their habitats Initiate and/or continue long-term monitoring of priority seahorse populations | Fishers' knowledge on seahorses' habitat use, colour patterns and skin filaments can be used to monitor seahorse populations, and to better delimit seahorse populations from a taxonomic viewpoint. |