POPULATIONS OF HIPPOCAMPES IN MONEGASQUE WATERS: progress and future prospects

On Wednesday 16th June, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Oceanographic Institute released the initial conclusions of a ground-breaking study conducted on seahorse populations in Monegasque waters.

In the Mediterranean, seahorse species are considered by the IUCN as “near-threatened”, which means that natural populations are decreasing and could become extinct if no corrective action is taken. In order to examine the situation of seahorse populations in Monaco’s territorial waters in greater detail, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has joined forces with the Oceanographic Institute and its Monegasque Marine Species Care Centre (CMSEM), as well as the BIOTOPE consultancy and the European seahorse specialist Patrick Louisy.

The objectives of the study are to :

✓ Increase knowledge of Monaco’s seahorses and their habitats

✓ Determine the best options for protecting seahorses.

✓ Initiate the most relevant conservation actions.

BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF POPULATIONS, TO BETTER PROTECT THEM

160 hours of diving were carried out between the end of June and mid-September 2020, thanks to the collaboration of numerous volunteer divers from the Centre d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco, enabling data to be acquired on the presence of seahorses in Monaco, to gain a better understanding of their habitats and to identify the sites with the best characteristics for their development.

More information in the press release to download.