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The fourth and most successful year of a pioneering collaboration between SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and the NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries has resulted in more than 300 endangered juvenile White’s seahorses, born and bred at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, being deployed to ‘seahorse hotels’ in the first-ever Port Stephens’ ocean release.

The collaboration saw a bumper crop of seahorse births. Over 1,000 seahorse fry (babies) were born and reared at the aquarium’s bespoke seahorse nursery, to be deployed in Port Stephens and Sydney Harbour.

Also known as the Sydney Seahorse, the White’s seahorse has seen a dramatic population decline over the past decade and is listed as ‘Endangered’ in Australia.

Having released hundreds of baby seahorses into Sydney Harbour, one of this year’s project aims was to extend their recovery north to Port Stephens. 

Adult Port Stephens seahorses were provided as brood-stock to SEA LIFE Sydney by NSW DPI Fisheries last year. They started breeding immediately at the aquarium, and now the juvenile seahorses have grown to a suitable size to be released; going into the same region their parents are from. This strategy assures the correct genetic stock is being used to repopulate Port Stephens’ seahorses.

Laura Simmons, SEA LIFE Regional Curator for Australia and New Zealand advises “this is a huge step in our seahorse recovery program. We’re excited to take the successes we’ve demonstrated in Sydney Harbour up to Port Stephens where populations have seen the most devastating declines.

“This year’s success of our seahorse recovery project, was amplified by a grant from the Australian Government.  This grant funding supported the expansion of our breeding and holding facilities, quadrupling the size of our spaces dedicated to seahorse care.”

This also allowed the aquarium to launch a new Behind-the-Scenes tour, where guests can join an expert and experience the enchanting creatures first-hand.

As a key part of the project, in February, 30 ‘seahorse hotels’ were deployed into Port Stephens, allowing enough time for growth of sponges, algae and seahorse prey, such as small shrimps, onto the structures, making them perfect locations for seahorses to curl their tails around and call home.

Dr David Harasti, Senior Marine Scientist with NSW Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, has over a decade of experience working with seahorses and will oversee the release and follow-up, said “following today’s seahorse release, divers from NSW DPI Fisheries will regularly monitor the populations at the site to assess their survival, growth and movements. 

“It is envisaged that the released seahorses will live on the hotels and then come October, the seahorses will start breeding, which will help lead to the recovery of this Endangered species within Port Stephens."

Going into year five, the partnership will continue to stretch this project across known ranges of the seahorses.  

For the first time this year, the public is invited to contribute to the conservation effort via a new adoption initiative: Adopt an endangered seahorse | SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium 

The $45 contribution to the SEA LIFE TRUST offers the knowledge that adopters are making a real difference in saving an Endangered animal and they will receive:

• A digital adoption certificate for themselves or to gift
• Inclusion of the seahorse’s and the adoptee’s name online and in the in-attraction honour roll
• 12 months of regular updates on the seahorse program and other SEA LIFE TRUST initiatives

For information on the new Behind-the-Scenes tour 

Related Articles

8th June 2021 - Sydney Harbour’s Seahorse hotel expansion marks World Oceans Day

13th January 2021 - Over 100 endangered White’s Seahorses born at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

12th October 2020 - SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium creates environment to conserve endangered White’s Seahorse species

17th May 2013 - Seahorse Safari launched at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

21st December 2012 - Melbourne Aquarium launches new Seahorse Pier exhibit

14th September 2011 - Kelly Tarlton’s launches Seahorse Kingdom

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