Virtual Tour of a Seahorse Recirculation System

Seahorses are threatened by overexploitation for traditional medicines, aquarium fishes and curiosities. It is estimated that over 42 million seahorses are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its derivatives annually. A further million seahorses are exported live each year for home and public aquaria. Less than a thousand are estimated to survive past twelve weeks in captivity due to the harsh treatment that they receive from the time that they are fished to the time that they are sold. A similar number are sold each year for use in the curio trade where you may find them as key-rings, earrings or varnished and mounted. These animals are all wild caught, and as a result seahorse populations are under tremendous pressure worldwide. They are an important source of income, particularly for subsistence fishers in developing countries.

Seahorse Ireland intends to explore the aquarium trade by developing a product that is amenable to domestic and public aquaria worldwide. They are working closely with the International Seahorse Trust to develop protocols for their culture, and ultimately the conservation of this delightful animal. They are currently in the process of conducting an Irish seahorse survey to assess the extent of the Irish seahorse population.

 What is Recirculation?
Definition:
Recirculation: The reuse of water within an aquaculture facility. Different Aquaculture facilities have differing amounts of recirculation extending from closed systems (little or no water exchange) to open systems (continual replacement of water).

Seahorse Ireland employs the use of re-circulating technology at their facility to ensure a stable environment with optimum water quality. An aquaculture recirculation system reuses the same water continuously by passing it through a series of filters, which are mechanical, biological and chemical. Each recirculation system is topped up with approximately 5% of new water each day to counteract water loss through siphoning and cleaning.Continue the tour and see how it happens.