PORT PHILLIP, Australia (11 Jan 2004) -- PORT Phillip's pot-bellied seahorse is at risk from poachers cashing in on soaring demand from China, where the creatures are used as sex stimulants. There are fears that poachers linked to Hong Kong's "seahorse mafia" have moved into Australia, as traditional sources in Asian waters are fished out. The global seahorse trade is worth an estimated $100 million, with more than 25 million exported to China each year. Parts of the seahorse are the key ingredient in a Chinese aphrodisiac and can sell for up to $1000 per kg. Australia's 13 species are protected under federal and state laws, so their numbers remain strong. Threatened species campaigner Craig Bohm, from the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said that made local waters fertile hunting grounds. "We would hope that the general public is watching for any signs of illegal fishing and reporting it to authorities," he said. Melbourne Aquarium assistant curator Rob Mort said local seahorses, such as the pot-bellied, could become hunted like abalone. | | Pot-bellied seahorse "There is such a burgeoning trade in illegal abalone and the same sort of demand is there for the seahorses, so the risk might be worth the return," he said. SOURCE - Herald Sun |
