Curbing illegal trade in seahorses

Parties and stakeholders have until the end of July to update the secretariat on efforts to curb illegal and unsustainable trade

The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has invited parties and other stakeholders to submit information on their implementation of decisions relating to seahorses.

The request covers decisions relating to the transport as well as monitoring programmes associated with the trade in seahorses and urges submissions to be made by 31 July 2026.

Submissions are requested for Decision 19.229, which encourages source, transit and consumer parties with evidence of illegal or unsustainable international trade in dried seahorses to work with stakeholders and species experts to develop national or regional plans of action.

These plans are expected to cover matters including tracking the extraction of wild broodstock for culture operations and distinguishing between wild-sourced, ranched and captive-bred specimens in trade.

A second decision (Decision 20.219) requiring input encourages parties to implement recommendations relating to monitoring programmes for fisheries that catch seahorses, including as bycatch.

Recommendations annexed to the notification also encourage parties to inventory and assess seahorse aquaculture operations, explore techniques such as eDNA and detector dogs for detecting seahorses in trade, and ensure any release of tank-bred seahorses follows the best available scientific guidance to protect wild populations.

The notification further draws attention to Decision 20.218, which invites parties and stakeholders to share information that could support CITES implementation for seahorses on the CITES website. Information gathered through this process will be compiled and presented to the 81st meeting of the Standing Committee as part of the secretariat's report.

PHOTO: © Adobe Photostock Licence

To assist with reporting, the secretariat has prepared a template attached to the notification. Submissions should be emailed with the subject line “Implementation of Decisions on Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.)” to info@cites.org, copying lauren.lloydlopes@un.org, by 31 July 2026.