When was the common seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) put on the endangered species list?

Question

I googled it several times and all I could find were phrases like "in recent years" "recently" "not too long ago" things like that, but I need a specific date and reason and I can't seem to find that.

Please help?

Answer 1

The common or spotted seahorse is not on the US Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered or threatened list.  It was, however added to the World Conservation Union's IUCN Red List of Threatened species as "Vulnerable" in 2003.  The reason for this listing was uncertainty about the scope of harvesting in the face of evidence of population decline:

"Trade surveys conducted by Project Seahorse between 2000–2001 indicate that while the global trade of seahorses and other syngnathids appears to be increasing, fishers and other informants reported considerable numeric declines in seahorse catches and trade throughout the range of this species, without a commensurate decrease in effort. While the volume of this trade, and the proportion of the population that it represents, is unknown at this point, reported declines in numbers give reason for concern. We therefore suggest a precautionary listing of Vulnerable."

(Other species of seahorse now thought to be identical to H. Kuda were listed as early as 1996)

Answer 2

As of November 2002, all species of seahorses have been put on the CITIES endangered species list.

http://www.aquariumsbysissy.com/Nancysea...