ISSN 1198-6727 Fisheries Centre Research Reports 2011 Volume 19 Number 2 Tracking the international trade of seahorses (Hippocampus species) Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Canada Tracking the international trade of seahorses ( Hippocampus species) by Melissa Evanson, Sarah J. Foster, Stefan Wiswedel & Amanda C. J. Vincent Fisheries Centre Research Reports 19(2) 104 pages © published 2011 by The Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia 2202 Main Mall Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6T 1Z4 ISSN 1198-6727 Fisheries Centre Research Reports 19(2) 2011 TRACKING THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN SEAHORSES (HIPPOCAMPUS SPECIES ) by Melissa Evanson, Sarah J. Foster, Stefan Wiswedel & Amanda C. J. Vincent CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR ’S FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................................... 1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 METHODS ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 Trade Data Sources...................................................................................................................................... 5 Trade Surveys and Government Trade Statistics (pre-CITES listing) ............................................ 5 CITES Trade Database (2004-2008) ................................................................................................ 6 Background .................................................................................................................................... 6 Data Acquisition and Formatting ................................................................................................. 6 CITES Data Conversion and Analyses .......................................................................................... 7 Sensitivity Analyses ..................................................................................................................... 10 RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 Global Overview of Trade in Dried and Live Seahorses ............................................................................... 11 Species Traded .................................................................................................................................. 11 Trade Routes ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Overall .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Sources ......................................................................................................................................... 15 Consumers .................................................................................................................................... 17 Trade Volumes .................................................................................................................................. 18 Overall .......................................................................................................................................... 18 By Species ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Species Identification ................................................................................................................. 23 Source Countries ......................................................................................................................... 24 Consumer Countries ................................................................................................................... 32 Comparison to Historic Data .................................................................................................................... 35 Species Traded .................................................................................................................................. 35 Trade Routes ..................................................................................................................................... 35 Source Countries .......................................................................................................................... 35 Consumers Countries ................................................................................................................. 36 Trade Volumes .................................................................................................................................. 37 Source Countries ......................................................................................................................... 38 Consumer Countries ................................................................................................................... 38 Re-exporter Trade .................................................................................................................................... 39 Species .............................................................................................................................................. 39 Trade Routes ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Trade Volumes ................................................................................................................................. 42 Overall ......................................................................................................................................... 42 By Species .................................................................................................................................... 43 By Country ................................................................................................................................... 46 Sensitivity Analyses ...................................................................................................................................48 Excluding EFI Records ....................................................................................................................48 Changing the units ........................................................................................................................... 49 Regional and Country Trends in Dried Seahorse Trade .............................................................................. 50 Net Importers/Exporters .......................................................................................................................... 51 Africa .......................................................................................................................................................... 52 Africa as a source – CITES data ...................................................................................................... 52 Overall Export Volumes .............................................................................................................. 52 Species .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Trade Routes ................................................................................................................................ 53 Africa as a source – Comparison to historic export data ............................................................... 54 Overall Export Volumes .............................................................................................................. 54 Species .......................................................................................................................................... 54 Trade Routes ................................................................................................................................ 54 Australia ..................................................................................................................................................... 55 Australia as a consumer – CITES data ............................................................................................ 55 Overall Import Volumes .............................................................................................................. 55 Species .......................................................................................................................................... 55 Trade Routes ................................................................................................................................ 55 Australia as a consumer – Comparison to historic data ................................................................ 56 Australia as a source – CITES data ................................................................................................. 56 Overall Export Volumes .............................................................................................................