The spotted seahorse, Hippocampus Kuda, is one of the seven recorded seahorse species in Malaysia. It is the only species primarily found in estuaries. Unfortunately, estuaries are subject to extreme human impact and are among the most degraded coastal habitats in the world.

Less than a decade ago, the Pulai River estuary was still in a pristine state. The mangroves, seagrass, birds and fishes were abundant, and this included the seahorses.

However, things changed drastically, when the estuary finally gave way to the development of Port Tanjung Pelepas (PTP). The massive project cleared away mangroves, dredged seagrass beds and continues to discard pollutants into the river.

This destruction spells disaster for the seahorses, and in the years that followed the development, at least 50 percent of the seahorse population has gone.

The Johor state, and all Malaysians in general, have been fortunate to be bestowed with this very unique fish where the males, rather than the females, get pregnant.

Sadly, this elusive fish has gone unnoticed by the government, and now is on the brink of extinction. The seahorse is the only fish, other than the whale shark, recognised by the 2003 IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) red list of threatened animals.

Seahorses have been used in traditional medicine for centuries around the globe and the aquarium fish market yields millions from the seahorse trade. With the recent discovery of seahorses as potential cures for carcinogenic diseases, the economic importance of seahorses must not be underestimated.

In May 2004, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in Malaysia included seahorses in Appendix II, and this has put more pressure on the need to conserve and manage the Malaysian seahorse population.

It is about time that the Johor state government strives to save the spotted seahorse, because their home is located in the south, specifically the Pulai River estuary.

We are aware of some 10,000 ha of mangrove forest on the upper Pulai Estuary which had been rightly gazetted as a Ramsar site according to the International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

If so, why have development activities continued and why have new projects been allowed to impinge on a Ramsar site?

There were some 400 seahorses within Pulai River estuary, as revealed by researchers, hence habitat protection is absolutely necessary to secure this population. Further habitat degradation must be halted.

There are also large seagrass beds in the Johor Strait between PTP and Pulau Merambong, which possibly holds hundreds of seahorses. Works are now in progress to build a new PTP docking area, meaning that the seagrass or seahorses will soon be extirpated.

In the meantime, we are working on plans to transfer the seahorse population from the designated docking area to the upper-river or a marine park. We also propose that the government:

Halt destruction at the Pulai River estuary;

Preserve the area as a bio-diversity centre for scientific research and education, for fish spawning and breeding grounds, and as a home for the endangered spotted seahorse;

Introduce eco-tourism activities. Seahorse watching, bird watching, firefly watching and mangrove swamp tours have great potential to lure tourists. In fact, the Pulai River estuary has greater bio-diversity than Tanjung Piai;

Use the seahorses as a flagship species in scientific education and eco-tourism at Pulai River estuary;

Trans-locate the seahorse populations in immediate danger to other areas;

Carry out a restocking project. The Johor Fisheries Department should work on captive breeding projects and release seahorses to replenish the wild population;
Amend the National Wildlife Protection Act 1972 to include seahorses on our national protected species list.

Provide funding for translocation and research work on seahorses.

The Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP) meanwhile should:

Acknowledge that they have imposed a high cost on seahorses and the environment;

Where possible restore the destruction it had caused. Be willing to employ experts and allocate funding for a restoration project.

Seek advice from us an other conservation agencies and amend their existing master plan to mitigate further destruction on the estuary's ecology.

We all should realise that 'saving seahorses means saving the seas.'

The writer is the coordinator of the Save Our Seahorses (SOS) action committee of Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), Johor branch.