title: An assessment of West African seahorses in fisheries catch and trade.
abstract: This study provides the first assessment of a heavily traded West African seahorse species, Hippocampus algiricus, and the first information on short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus biology in Africa. A total of 219 seahorses were sampled from fisher catch in Senegal and The Gambia, with estimated height at reproductive activity for H. algiricus (161 mm) larger than mean ± S.D. catch height (150 ± 31 mm). Catch composition, height at reproductive activity and potential biases in fishery retention are discussed with regard to the current Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Fisheries Economics Research Unit & Project Seahorse, Fisheries Centre, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Canada.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cisneros-Montemayor
authors.affiliation: Project Seahorse, Fisheries Centre, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Independent Researcher, Touba Damba, Fulladu West District, Central River Division, The Gambia.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Boiro
authors.affiliation: Project Seahorse, Fisheries Centre, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: A C J
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D056727:Endangered Species; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries; D005714:Gambia; D008297:Male; D012675:Senegal; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: CITES; Hippocampus algiricus; life history; morphometry